The Only Hope For Me Is You
by Twisted Illusions II
Summary: Alternative Timeline to my story I'm Not Okay— What if Dave never died in Klaus's arms? What if, instead, he convinced Klaus to quit taking drugs while still in 1968; 'causing him to start his withdrawals in 'Nam. If Klaus is too sick to fight, he and Dave would have never made it to the front lines. Meaning they discover Klaus's cancer sooner—Is it soon enough to save his life?
1. Chapter 1

If anyone would have told Klaus a year ago that he would eventually meet, and fall in love with a wonderful, good, _beautiful_ and kind man; he would have laughed in their face, and told them to cut back on whatever it was they were smoking.

Had they told him that not only would he indeed meet this fabled unicorn of man, but he would meet him in the fiery bowels of the Vietnam war; he would have asked them what they were smoking, and where he could get his hands on some.

And yet there he was, forcefully ripped from his timeline in 2019 and casually dispensed in a tent amongst a hailstorm of bullets in the year 1968, in the presence of a living, breathing, statuesque beauty of a man.

Chest bare, and stunning blue eyes baring directly into his soul.

Klaus eventually learned that the literal God-like man's name was Dave, and the two of them immediately grew rather close to one another.

While the circumstances behind their chance encounter were fortuitous at best, they quickly learned that they were meant to be together.

Klaus was never a man to believe in fairy tales, or even in fate. Yet he truly did believe there was a reason he was somehow miraculously able to come into contact with this Dave Katz.

Not only was Dave an amazing, brave and strong soldier who fought valiantly for his country, he was also a tender hearted loving soul.

He always was sure to make Klaus feel like he was the most special, amazing, and perfect man to ever walk the earth.

Dave truly cared about Klaus; unlike every single other man he ever had the complete displeasure of having any kind of a 'relationship' with.

Klaus was used to, and now unfortunately expected, the rude remarks, the unwanted forceful physical contact (both sexually, and not) and the abuse that accompanied his relationships. Klaus figured he must have deserved these kinds of interactions with people.

He was unfamiliar with what love was, and true love didn't exist, as far as he had ever been concerned.

He simply accepted that this would forever be how his love life would be—Loveless, ruthless, and unkind.

_But with Dave, he never had to worry about any of that..._

Dave never raised a hand to him, unless it was in a salute, or a high five. His voice would never raise, unless it was in a positive manner; laughing at one of Klaus's many inappropriate jokes. He would never make unwanted physical advances on Klaus, force him into anything he didn't want. He never has, nor would he ever, leave a bruise on his fair skin, unless it was a hickie that Klaus would wear with pride.

Dave was an honest to goodness kind man, and Klaus was completely enamored by the fact that this man somehow loved him.

Dave always wanted what was best for Klaus.

He would go out of his way to protect him during battle, shielding his body with his own when bullets would fly.

_Klaus didn't know how he got so lucky..._

Dave loved Klaus, and supported him in any way possible. He even understood and sympathized with Klaus over his abundant drug use. Klaus was always honest with Dave, he couldn't lie to him. He wanted their relationship to be based out of honestly, and not in lies.

So when Dave kept finding Klaus high as a rocket at any given moment and asked him why he did this to himself, Klaus told him the truth.

Ghosts.

Klaus can see and commune with the dead. They terrified him, and drugs were the only thing that seemed to help numb his pain.

Dave accepted the truth, and he accepted Klaus.

Dave was truly a perfect man.

After months of being together, however, Dave couldn't help but want Klaus to be happy without needing to depend on his crutch of drug use. And so, Dave confronted Klaus.

He was honest with him; telling him he truly does love him, and therefore, he wished he would stop pumping his body fully of poison. He told him he understood why he chose to do it, and why he stuck with it for so long.

His entire life, Klaus never had any other way to escape his fears—but he did, now.

Dave pulled his hands into his own, his blue eyes gazing passionately into Klaus's emerald green ones, and he told Klaus he wasn't alone anymore.

He didn't need to be afraid to face his fears, because he wouldn't need to do it by himself ever again. Dave would face them alongside him, head on. He would protect Klaus, keep him safe, and rescue him from his demons.

Klaus's eyes pooled with tears as he smiled, pulling Dave into the tightest embrace. This perfect, beautiful man did love Klaus. He'd never had anyone truly give a damn about him like this before.

He loved Dave—trusted him more than anyone, or anything in this world. He knew Dave would keep his word, help Klaus overcome his fears, and never leave his side...

So Klaus agreed to give up his one failsafe safety net from his fears—his drugs.

And for once, he wasn't afraid to.

Because he knew that Dave would be beside him, holding his hand.

—-

"Move out, maggots! We're needed at the front lines! Let's go, let's go, let's go! Move it move it!" Sergeant Rankin bellowed through the canvas tent to his battalion of soldiers.

They learned the news that morning that they were to head north to the front lines; their presence was needed.

The war was getting hot, hostilities were high. The band of brothers knew this would be happening sometime, they just hadn't realized it would be so soon.

_The timing could not have been any more worse..._

Klaus was only nine days into detoxing off of drugs, and he was not doing well at all.

His body was riddled by chills, and blanketed in a thick sheen of sweat. He was constantly plagued by nausea and fatigue. He couldn't see straight, he was so dizzy. He didn't know how they could honestly expect him to be of any use on the front lines.

While his comrades hurriedly paced around their tent, readying themselves for battle, Klaus laid curled in the fetal position on his cot, clutching his blanket to his chest.

Dave was kneeling beside him, soothingly rubbing circles in his back with his left hand, as he smoothed his sweat soaked curls out of his eyes with the other. He didn't care about the looks this earned him from his fellow soldiers, Klaus was his only concern.

Dave was horrified right now.

The front lines were no joke—You went there to kill, or be killed.

Dave knew in Klaus's current condition, he wouldn't be able to pull his weight out on the field, and this scared him.

He couldn't wrap his head around the idea of anything ever happening to Klaus. Dave knew in his heart, if Klaus went to the front lines, it would be a death sentence—the literal march to his own demise.

_Dave couldn't allow that to happen..._

"Sarge, Hargreeves won't make it if he goes, sir! Look at him, he can't even stand!" He shouted over the sea of voices filling their frenzied living quarters. Sergeant Rankin stomped towards him, peering down at Dave, before studying Klaus's sickly appearance.

Truth be told, he was aware that Klaus had not been doing well over the last weeks span. He always cared about those two; but unfortunately, his feelings didn't matter in the face of war.

"Katz, I am sorry, but my hands are tied. We have no choice in the matter, son. You know this." Dave's face fell as his eyes met his superiors defeated brown gaze. He nodded, before turning his full attention back to his boyfriends shuddering frame.

"I truly am sorry, Katz. Hargreeves, stay low and keep close to Katz. I'll do my due diligence to try to keep you two boys safe." Klaus peered to Rankin with scared, watery eyes. He groaned as a surge of nausea overwhelmed him. He swallowed thickly, nodding his head in acknowledgment and thanks before slumping back against his cot.

"I'll give you two a few more minutes. We head out in five." Sergeant Rankin patted Dave on his shoulder, shooting both soldiers a sympathetic glance before turning to address the rest of his troops. He paused, glancing at the two once more.

"I truly am sorry, boys. May God be with us all."

Sergeant Rankin disappeared into the slew of soldiers, leaving Dave and Klaus alone to collect their thoughts, and prepare as best as they could, for Klaus's impending fate.

Klaus was terrified. He knew if he fought today, he would die. He simply didn't have the strength. He curled himself tighter into a ball on his cot, hot tears streaming down his face. His shoulders were quaking with sobs.

Dave heaved himself from his position on the floor, situating himself on the cot beside Klaus, gently easing his trembling form into his steady and strong embrace. Klaus nuzzled his face against Dave's chest, his sobs getting louder and less controllable. Dave buried his nose into Klaus's curls, clutching his trembling form closer to his own.

"Shh shh, I won't let anything happen to you, I promise. You're going to be okay, babe. I'll make sure of it." Dave's own tears tumbled down his cheeks.

Honestly, he didn't know if he would be able to keep his promise...

Their entire relationship was based on truth, and in this moment, he felt as though he'd told Klaus the biggest lie to ever leave his lips.

Klaus's body stiffened as a wave of nausea overtook him. He groaned, and swallowed the bile back. He was desperate, he didn't want to die, but more than that, he didn't want to lose Dave.

Klaus knew this perfect man would throw himself in the path of a bullet for him, and he couldn't allow that to happen.

He clutched at Dave's hand, bringing it to his chest and peered into his pools of blue with such intensity, it almost scared even himself.

"What it.. what if there was another way?" Klaus asked breathily. He shuddered, screwing his eyes shut as another wave of nausea struck. Dave kissed his mop of curls before pulling Klaus's face into his hands. He ran his thumbs over his lovers cheeks to wipe at his tears.

"What do you mean, babe?"

Klaus sucked in a deep breath before opening his eyes once more, continuing his intense stare.

"I mean..what if I knew of a way you and I could escape this. We could leave, not fight. We could live." Dave looked at Klaus with a confused expression.

How could there be any other way? This is war, you can't just walk away from this.

"How, babe? There is no other way." Klaus shook his head no before grabbing ahold of Dave by his wrists.

"There is, there's always another way. Under my cot, there's a briefcase. Grab it for me, please?" Dave was confused, but did as he was instructed.

He leaned his upper body over the edge of the mattress, reaching under the cot and tapped the floorboards beneath the bed until the handle pressed against his fingertips. He latched onto it, pulling it onto the bed and into his lap. The black leather of the case was coated in a thick layer of dust.

What could this untouched briefcase possibly have anything to do with them getting out of here?

Klaus achingly sat up, reaching for the case. Dave wrapped his arm around him to steady him before placing the briefcase into his lovers lap. Klaus's hands were shaking, but he quickly fidgeted with the dials on the case, changing the numbers to what he hoped would bring them back to his correct time.

Dave laid his hand over Klaus's, begging him to stop.

"Babe, there's nothing in that case that could help." He didn't understand what was so important about that stupid briefcase. Klaus slammed the case down on his lap and turned to Dave hurriedly.

"This is our ticket out of here, you just need to trust me! Don't you trust me, Dave?" Klaus's face shone brilliantly with fear. Dave couldn't help but feel sorry for this beautiful man in front of him.

"Of course I do, Klaus. More than anyone else I've ever known." He wiped another tear from his love's face as Klaus heaved in a deep breath.

He just prayed Dave wouldn't shy away from him after he heard what he was about to say.

"You remember how I said I can see ghosts, Dave. You remember how you believed me?" Dave nodded.

"Good. Remember how you always thought it was weird that I didn't seem to understand anything going on here. You wondered how the hell I ended up in a war I seemed to know absolutely nothing about?" Dave nodded again. Klaus quickly coughed into the crook of his left elbow before taking another breath and continuing.

"Well, Dave, that's because I didn't know anything. I-I'm not meant to be here, Dave." Dave pulled Klaus into his arms, and pressed him against his chest in a tight reassuring embrace.

"I know, babe. I'm so sorry, I wish I could save you from this, I promise, I'll do everything I can to—" Klaus pulled away shaking his head.

"No, you don't understand, babe. I'm literally not supposed to be here. I was born on October 1st, 1989. I'm from the future. This briefcase," He lifted the briefcase to emphasize.

"Is a time traveling device. I stole it thinking it had money inside I could use for drugs. But when I opened it, it transported me here." He coughed again, nearly dropping the briefcase to the ground. Dave grabbed ahold of it before it could, guiding it back into Klaus's lap before gently rubbing his shoulders. Klaus cleared his throat before continuing.

"Remember my first night here? Didn't you find it strange that a man dressed in only a towel suddenly appeared seemingly out of thin air?"

Dave had to admit, Klaus's words rang true. He did always find that rather peculiar. But, there was so much going on at the time, he couldn't really focus on that.

Now that he mentioned it again, though, this all started to almost make sense...

"This briefcase dumped me here. It teleported me from the year 2019 to now, Dave. I can..I can use it again, change the date and bring us back. But I-" Klaus paused to wipe at his tears.

"I won't go without you. Please, Dave. Please, come with me. We can be together, away from the war, away from the bloodshed. I'll die if I stay, but I..I won't leave without you." He clenched his eyes shut, too emotionally drained to look into Dave's eyes. He didn't mean to put such an ultimatum on him, but he meant what he said.

He would rather die, right here, in 1968, than return home, alone, to his miserable life without Dave.

Dave could see how scared Klaus was. He didn't understand fully exactly what Klaus was saying; it was a lot to take in.

_Time travel?_

_Future?_

_Klaus dying if they stayed?_

He was confused, and scared himself, but he knew Klaus wouldn't lie to him. If he truly believed this could be a way for them both to get to safety, and spare Klaus from his impending fate, well, than Dave was more than willing to give this theory a chance.

Dave pulled Klaus's face into his calloused hands, and delicately ran his thumbs over his cheeks.

"Well, then. What are we waiting for, babe? Let's go. Let's get you out of this hell hole. Let's get you home." Klaus smiled as a sob broke through his lips. He was so unbelievably happy to hear Dave say this. He was so ready to leave, to get both of them as far away from this place as possible.

"Everybody up, let's go!" Sergeant Rankin shouted from the open flap of their tent. Both soldiers glanced at him before Klaus intertwined his fingers into Dave's.

"Katz, Hargreeves, it's time to go! C'mon boys, move it!" He stomped towards them, ready to usher them towards their fate. Dave looked at Klaus, tucking his fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. Their gaze met, eyes filled with tears. Dave gave Klaus an encouraging nod. He was ready for whatever happened, but they needed to do it now.

They were out of time.

"Ready?" Klaus asked Dave, laying his fingertips readily on the latch of the briefcase.

Dave smiled fondly at Klaus, pressing his forehead against his own.

"More than you'll ever know." They smiled at each other, taking no account of their sergeant being an arms length away. He was shouting at them to move.

Klaus flicked the latch on the briefcase, opening it. A brilliant flash of blue enveloped the two soldiers, causing their sergeant to flinch away from the sight of it.

When he opened his eyes again, all he saw was an empty cot.

—

**Authors Note**\- _HELLO AGAIN BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE, DID YOU MISS ME?! ;)_

_I know, it's only been a few days since I posted the Final chapter to I'm Not Okay, but what can I say, I enjoy posting too much to slow down anytime soon!_

_If you're new to my writing, hello there! Welcome! I hope you enjoy!  
_

_**If you haven't already read my story I'm Not Okay, pause what you're doing, and go read that first! This is practically part 2 of that story, so I recommend you read that first**! Just so you understand fully what's going on in this one!_

_Ahh! I'm so excited to share this one with you guys! I needed to explore Dave and Klaus's relationship more, them only being reunited after he dies is just not cool in my book haha_

_I will warn you guys though, this is still a cancer story—same illness, different outcome._

_But it is going to be a sad story still! Just as a little pre-warning. It's going to be super up in the air if Klaus will survive or not towards the end, but, that's the thrill of reading each new chapter, right?! Gotta keep y'all on your toes! ;)_

_I hope you enjoyed!_

**PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT IF YOU LIKED THIS, I WOULD LOVE TO READ ALL OF YOUR LOVELY OPINIONS!**

_Not to be demanding LOL I just really would love to hear whatever feedback you all can give! I'm always up for constructive criticism as well! There's always room for improvement, trust me, I'm far from perfect!_

_As always, thank you all again!_


	2. Chapter 2

A sudden explosion of a blinding blue light encompassed the interior of a city bus, causing one of the passengers to shield their eyes and shy away.

When the flash dissipated, there were two disheveled looking men, each sporting matching sets of army fatigues seated on a bench seat that had previously been unoccupied.

The only man who seemed to notice (no one else could be bothered to peel their gaze away from their cell phones) turned his attention towards the two men.

He found their sudden emergence to be rather peculiar, however, in this city, he'd seen much stranger anomaly's. And so, he simply shrugged before looking away and continuing to read his newspaper.

The two soldiers stared forward, eyes wide in bewilderment just trying to gather their senses and piece together exactly where they currently found themselves to be.

Dave quickly came to the conclusion they were on a bus, one unlike any he'd ever seen before.

Klaus instantly recognized this place as the bus he was on when he first opened the briefcase he now clutched in his shaking hands, all those months ago.

"Did-did it work?" Dave asked quietly.

He understood they clearly weren't in the same place they'd started their day, but he didn't know where (or when) they were. He hoped this was where Klaus meant to bring them. It looked safe, so that was all that really mattered.

As long as Klaus was safe, now.

Klaus looked away from where he was blindly staring off into space, before looking into Dave's confused yet content features. He smiled before nodding.

"Yeah. Yeah, it worked. We're safe. We're finally—" He abruptly stopped speaking as his skin suddenly paled and his stomach lurched.

Klaus's left hand shot to his lips just as vomit erupted from his mouth. He hunched forward, curling further into himself as he groaned, before his stomach expelled its contents once again onto the floor at his feet.

"Ah, fuck, m'so sorry." He breathed as he gasped for air. Dave rubbed his back and cooed to him soothingly in an attempt to comfort him.

"Shh, baby, it's okay. No need to apologize."

The bus suddenly swerved, veering over to the right hand side of the road before coming to an abrupt stop. Both boys were jostled by the motion, causing Klaus to clench his dizzy eyes shut. He attempted to stifle a groan, the jerking motions making his stomach all the more upset.

The driver quickly threw the bus doors open, before angrily turning towards the passengers, glaring daggers at Klaus and Dave.

"This ain't no fucking public restroom, no puking on the bus! Out! Get off my bus!" He demanded pointing out the door.

Klaus groaned as he wrapped his left arm around his stomach, which only seemed to irritate the bus driver further. Dave glanced from his ailing boyfriend, before realizing the hostility on the drivers face. He hurriedly nodded to the driver, acknowledging their request, before hooking his arms around Klaus, assisting him to his feet.

Dave guided Klaus around his vomit so he wouldn't slip in it, then helped ease him down the steps and off of the bus.

The driver practically growled at them as they exited, before slamming the doors directly behind them, pulling away without so much as a glance back.

Klaus groaned again as his knees became wobbly, his exhaustion finally catching up to him. Dave tightened his grip on his waist, before he quickly helped guide him to a nearby bench, and assisted him in taking a seat.

Klaus harshly coughed into the fold of his right elbow before leaning himself back, resting his head on the lip of the bench.

_He just felt so dizzy..._

Withdrawals were bitch on their own, but add time travel into the equation? Klaus couldn't help but feel like death warmed over.

Dave eagerly took a seat beside him, gingerly laying his left hand on Klaus's thigh.

"How you feeling, babe?" Dave asked, leaning towards Klaus, cupping his chin in his hand to further examine his features. He reached his other hand to his face, wiping the beads of sweat that lingered on his brow away.

Klaus tilted his head away, listlessly swatting his hand at Dave before wrapping his fingers around his boyfriends wrist. He turned, smiling tiredly at him.

"Oh, you know, living the dream." He coughed again before clearing his throat and straightening his posture so he was sitting more upright.

"What about you? How are you feeling? Physically, and just, I don't know, in general. How are you handling all of..well, this?" Klaus vaguely gestured around, to the booming city surrounding them—to the future.

Dave looked around and appeared to be deep in thought.

Honestly, he wasn't really sure how to feel quite yet. So far, the future just seemed to be filled with oblivious people, too caught up in their tiny strange hand-held devices than to realize what was actually going on around them.

And very angry bus drivers..

He shrugged, before smiling at Klaus.

"Eh, it's worlds better that where we were before. Honestly, we could be on a deserted island right now, and I'd be happy. As long as you're okay." Klaus tiredly smiled at Dave, giving his love's knee a gentle squeeze.

He still couldn't believe how lucky he was to call this man his own...

Klaus exhaled a deep sigh and leaned against his lovers side, resting his weary head on his broad muscular shoulder. Dave buried his lips into Klaus's curls, settling a kiss there before he rested his cheek atop his head, wrapping his arm around Klaus's shoulders.

"You should probably get some rest here shortly. Where to now?" Klaus hummed in response to Dave.

He was so exhausted...

He nuzzled his face deeper into Dave's shoulder, planting a delicate kiss to his clavicle, before pulling away and sitting up.

Klaus swayed for a moment from the lightheaded feeling that came from the sudden movement. He opened and closed his eyes multiple times, trying to clear the fog from his mind before taking Dave by his hand and attempting to stand.

His legs nearly gave out on him again, but Dave was there. He wrapped his arm around Klaus's waist, slinging his arm over his shoulder. Klaus nodded to Dave in thanks before smiling, looking him directly in his eyes.

"Let's go home."

—

The walk back to the academy was tiring. Both for Klaus, and for Dave. Klaus was basically dead weight by the time they hit the one mile mark. Dave offered to carry him, but Klaus simply said no, he was okay.

It's just withdrawals, it wasn't like he was dying or anything.

Dave admired his strength.

As long as he could remember, Klaus had always been high. When Dave addressed the matter, and Klaus admitted why he used drugs, he also informed him when he discovered they helped.

Klaus had been an addict since he was thirteen years old. He was currently twenty-nine.

For seventeen years he lived every day high on anything, other than life. Dave was incredibly proud of Klaus for agreeing with him about quitting drugs. He knew it would be difficult for him.

He just hadn't realized just how hard it would actually be...

Dave had a cousin who was a heroine addict back in Ohio. He was there and helped his cousin when she finally decided to better her life. It was hard for her, but nothing could compare to how Klaus was feeling now.

His cousin detoxed for about two weeks. The first four days were the toughest, but by the end of the week, she was feeling so much better, and could function. By two weeks she was practically back to 'normal'.

Klaus was nine days in, and he seemed to only be getting worse as the days continued on. He wondered if maybe it had to do with the severity of the addiction?

His cousin was hooked for a little over three years. Her shitty boyfriend got her into it. However, when he beat her and left her for dead, she decided to get clean and turn her life around; for herself, and for her five year old daughter, Emma.

She only ever tried heroine. Perhaps that played a major role in how she came off the drugs?

Klaus was addicted to everything—Marijuana, cocaine, heroine, LSD's, opiates. Not to mention the myriad of drugs he'd explained to Dave back in 'Nam, that he'd never even heard of before.

And he used for such an extended period of time.. that had to explain why this was so much more difficult for him, right?

"There it is, home sweet home." Klaus's voice cut through Dave's thoughts like a knife. He looked at Klaus, and then examined the building they stood in front of.

The academy was so much larger than Dave could have even imagined. Klaus had told him it was massive; encompassing an entire square block. Forty-two bedrooms, nineteen bathrooms. Multiple stories high. He couldn't believe this was his boyfriends house. Surely, this was some ritzy hotel?

Klaus tightened his grip around Dave's waist and began to step closer to the academy. They didn't even bother to knock before walking inside.

"Woah.."

Dave's jaw dropped at the architecture within the building. The black and white marbled floors with their perfect swirls, the vibrant wallpapers on every wall, the massive ornate columns flanking either side of every hall. The vaunted ceilings with their intricate carvings that adorned every inch of the building.

The taxidermy was in interesting choice, but Dave didn't mind it—he grew up in rural Ohio, and his father used to take him hunting when he was a small boy. He certainly bagged his own eight-point bucks in his hay day, which his father happily displayed in their own quaint living room.

The water buffalo, ant eater, and the aardvark in the academy, however, were far different to him though, none the less.

"Wonder how much times passed for them?" Klaus stated, noting the enormous chandelier that still laid destroyed against the tiles in the center of the grand foyer.

"What happened here?" Dave asked, looking to the chandelier and then to Klaus.

Klaus opened his mouth to speak, but he suddenly found he didn't have the energy to.

His eyes fluttered as his head began to slump against his chest. His knees buckling from beneath him. Luckily, Dave still had a firm hold on him, so he never got the chance to fall.

"Hey, woah, woah. You alright, babe?" Klaus shook his head to regain his composure. He brought his free hand up to Dave's chest, tightening his grip into his shirt.

"Shit, sorry. I'm just a little light headed." Dave shot his love a crooked sad smile before cupping his cheek in his hand and kissing his forehead.

"That's okay, today has been rough. Admittedly, I feel a little weird after that whole briefcase fiasco, myself." He chuckled lightly, earning a soft smile from Klaus.

Klaus pulled his hand away from Dave's shirt, cupping it to his mouth before dryly coughing into his palm.

He felt like shit, all Klaus really wanted to do right now was take a long hot bath and go to bed.

"Davey darlin', would you mind escorting me up stairs for a bath? I could use a good soak." Dave nodded with a smile, he tightened his grip on Klaus's waist before beginning their journey up the stairs.

Klaus directed Dave into the largest bathroom upstairs, it had the deepest soaking tub, and therefore, had always been his favorite. By the time they made it to the bathroom though, Klaus's energy was all but spent.

Dave eased him down so he was sitting on the closed lid of the toilet. Then, Dave placed the drain stopper into the tub and spun the nobs, turning on the water.

Klaus always loved scorching hot baths, so he cranked the hot on all the way, before putting the cold water on just enough so it wouldn't actually scald Klaus's pale skin.

The water sputtered at first; the pipes warming up after a long lull of not being used, before the flow strengthened. The water rose quickly, steam filling the air almost immediately.

Dave ran his fingers under the stream to check the temperature, before running his hand back and forth in the basin to ensure the water was equally heated throughout. Satisfied with the temperature, he returned his attention to his boyfriend.

_Klaus was exhausted..._

Dave could tell it was taking everything he had just to keep his eyes open. He strolled over to Klaus, delicately running his hands up and down his lovers exposed arms.

Dave wrapped his fingers around the hem of Klaus's shirt, giving it a gentle tug. Klaus lethargically lifted his arms, allowing Dave to remove his shirt for him, before slumping back, leaning heavily against the back of the toilet.

Dave worked to remove Klaus's boots and socks, before moving to his waist to remove his pants. Once Klaus was stripped naked, Dave helped ease him off of the toilet, and guided him to the tub.

Klaus sighed in gratification as Dave lowered his body into the bath, the hot water lapping up against his calves, then his thighs before finally encompassing his entire torso.

His skin turned pink from the heat, but it was a welcomed sting.

Klaus leaned heavily against the back of the tub, the cool porcelain a stunning contrast in comparison to the heat from the water. It was a familiar soothing sensation. Klaus's rigid muscles began to release their tension as he eased himself deeper, submerging his shoulders into the hot water, allowing his eyes to finally slip shut.

This just felt so amazing, especially after the day from hell they just had.

Dave turned the water off once the tub was finally full. He grabbed a wash cloth from the towel rack, and dunked it under the water to dampen it. He grabbed the body soap from the side of the tub, squeezing a small amount onto the rag, he worked the soap into a lather on the cloth before he delicately eased Klaus into a seated position.

The poor dear was half asleep, but he held it together long enough to help Dave the best he could.

Dave tenderly scrubbed the wash cloth over Klaus's skin, starting at his shoulders, before working down his chest and back. He delicately worked the lather into his skin, cleansing the sweat and nearly week old dirt off of his sluggish body. He eased Klaus back down into a prone position in the tub, before running the towel down each of his arms, being sure to work underneath each nail bed, and into the creases of every knuckle. Dave rubbed his thumbs over Klaus's cuticles, and between every finger, before gently massaging the skin over his HELLO and GOODBYE tattoos on each palm, ensuring no spot was left untouched on Klaus's weary form.

He moved with a delicate precision, rough hands working as though they were handling a fragile piece of China. He quickly ran the towel under the water again to re-dampen it, before adding more soap and starting the process over with his legs and feet.

Once he finished washing Klaus's entire body, he eased him upright again, resting his lovers sluggish form against his chest.

Klaus nuzzled into Dave's neck, relishing his warmth, and his delicate and caring touch.

_Klaus still couldn't fathom how anyone could treat him with such kindness..._

Dave cupped his hand, ushering the water up and over Klaus's exposed skin, rinsing the suds away from his body. He kissed Klaus's shoulder, before once again easing him back down into the tub, so he could finish rinsing all of the soap away from his form.

"Ready for you hair, babe?" Dave asked, gently wiping Klaus's curls off of his semi-slumbering face. Klaus inhaled, tightening his eyes before humming in response. He nodded, opening his eyes into slits.

Klaus shakily eased himself down so his head was partly submerged under the water. Dave ran his fingers through his hair to ensure every strand was detangled, before helping him back into a more upright position. He grabbed the shampoo bottle, shaking some out into his palm, before massaging it into Klaus's messy tendrils of curls.

Klaus moaned at the sensation, his lips curling up into a subtle smile. He opened his weary eyes and just absorbed this feeling and this moment. Dave smiled at his boyfriend as he rolled his eyes.

"You and your weird hair stroking fetish." Klaus exhaled a chuckle through his nose before closing his eyes once more.

"Giving me goosebumps, babe." Klaus whispered tiredly.

Sure enough, he certainly did have goosebumps stemming from his chest down his arms. Dave just smiled before laying a kiss against his damp shoulder. Once his curls were thoroughly sudsy, he guided Klaus back into the water to rinse.

When Klaus was completely clean, Dave leaned him against the back of the tub before reaching to remove the stopper in the drain.

He grabbed the fluffy white towel from the hook, and draped it over Klaus's shoulders, before finally wrapping his arms around his love and helping him stand.

Dave quickly ran the towel over his body to dry the majority of the water off of him, before he wrapped the towel firmly around his waist.

Klaus's legs shook from exhaustion, so Dave wasted no time in scooping him up into his arms bridal style. Klaus was too tired to attest the gesture, so he simply allowed Dave to carry him, as he rested his sleepy head against his boyfriends chest, arms loosely draped around his lovers neck.

"Thanks babe. M'so sleepy.." Dave brushed his lips against Klaus's damp curls, smiling against his scalp.

He loved this sleepy angel of a man with all of his heart...

Dave exited the bathroom carrying Klaus, and started down the hall.

"Which bedroom is yours?" Klaus licked his lips before forcing his eyes open to examine where they were.

"Third door on the right. Oh, and I think you mean _our_ bedroom, babe." Dave simply smiled before entering the room.

"Our bedroom." He repeated upon stepping inside.

Dave smiled as his eyes moved around examining every detail of the room. The walls were a pale yellow color, aside from the brick accent wall on the far right hand side of the room. There were thick black hand-drawn images, and script adorning each wall.

The curtains were a black and white plaid; they were drawn shut, leaving the room mostly dark, aside from the small tufts of light that peaked over the outer rims of the window, and the multitude of fairy lights strung around the room.

The bed was unkept, multiple pillows strewn across the mattress, with what appeared to be a mess of two or three different quilts carelessly laid haphazardly in mounds. It looked soft and comfortable, though.

Exactly what Klaus deserved.

"Where are your sleep clothes?" Dave asked.

He was certain he didn't want to sleep in a towel. Klaus yawned before tilting his head to peer into Dave's crystal blue eyes.

"I don't have any. I prefer to sleep uh, in the nude." He wiggled his eyebrows before finishing.

"Feel free to join me in doing so. It is rather _freeing_." He gestured his hands around his waist. Dave chuckled before nuzzling his nose against Klaus's.

"I don't think you could be any more precious, babe." Klaus smiled into Dave's touch before stealing a kiss from his lips.

Dave stepped towards the bed, quickly arranging the pillows so they lined the headboard, before he pulled the blankets to the foot of the mattress. These would need straightening before he could tuck Klaus in.

He gently rested Klaus's exhausted form on his mattress. Klaus removed his towel, tossing it to the floor, before immediately rolling onto his side so he was facing Dave. He grabbed one of the pillows and pulled it between his legs to prop his knees apart.

Dave tugged one of the thick blankets from the foot of the mattress and shook it out to untangle it from the others, before he laid it across Klaus's form, pulling it right up to his chin. He repeated the process with the other two blankets, until Klaus was perfectly wrapped up in a bundle of warmth.

Klaus sighed heavily, snuggling himself deeper into his blanket cocoon, as his eyes finally were able to slip shut. Dave sat down beside him on the bed and started gently carding his fingers through Klaus's damp curls.

"Get some rest, babe." He whispered as he leaned down and kissed Klaus's forehead.

Just as they were settling down to rest, a burst of blue illuminated the room, startling both soldiers.

Dave shot to his feet, poised, and ready to fight, while Klaus clumsily sat up, grabbing his chest as his shoulders went rigid.

Realizing what caused the flash, Klaus grunted, rolling his eyes.

"Christ, Five! Haven't you ever heard of knocking!" He physically slumped, realizing there was no threat of danger.

Five raised an eyebrow at his brother before turning his attention to the obvious elephant in the room.

"Who the hell are you?" Five asked unceremoniously to Dave. Dave raised his eye brows, running his hand nervously through his hair.

"Uh, I'm Dave. Nice to meet you?" He leaned forward, outstretching his hand toward Five in a friendly greeting. Five didn't accept his hand, though. Instead, he turned his attention back to his brother.

"Klaus, where the hell have you been? We are running out of time, the apocalypse is tonight." Klaus shook his head to clear his thoughts then ran his palm down his face, clearing his throat.

"Sorry, what? I have a real rager of a migraine right now, kind of hard to focus." Klaus stated before absentmindedly itching at his shoulders with both hands.

Five took in Klaus's appearance—his headache, whole body itch. The man who accompanied him sporting obvious out of this era military garb. Fives eyebrows raised as the corners of his lips tugged into a smug smile.

"Holy shit, you did it, didn't you?" He asked, stepping closer to his brother.

"Did what?" Klaus asked, as Dave took a seat on the bed beside him, itching his back for him.

"I recognize the symptoms; Headache that feels like your head was stuffed with cotton, whole body itch—you time traveled, didn't you?" Dave stiffened and turned to Five.

"How'd you know?" He asked.

Five scoffed.

"Time travel is my expertise. Plus, your army fatigues are a dead giveaway. Where did you go, or should I say, when?" Klaus harshly coughed into his palms, so Dave answered for him.

"Vietnam, 1968. We were stationed in the Au Shau Valley. Klaus was with me for about ten months." Fives face lit up.

"Ten months? In the war?" He laughed.

"This is unbelievable, where is it?"

"Where's what?" Klaus asked once he finished coughing.

"The briefcase, you idiot!"

"It's in the bathroom with my clothes." Five didn't say anything else. He flashed out of the room, then popped back in after a measly couple of seconds, clutching the briefcase in his hands.

"Fantastic! This is exactly what I needed." Klaus chewed his cheek before groaning and weakly easing himself back down against his mattress.

"Well, glad I could be of service. Now, if you'll excuse us, Fivey, Dave and I were just about to take a nap—"

"No time, get up, we are having a family meeting."

"But—"

"Now, Klaus!" With that, Five disappeared with a thwip and a flash. Dave turned to Klaus, gently rubbing his back.

"Family meeting?" He asked.

Klaus groaned as he untangled himself from his mound of blankets.

"Ugh, so much for our nap." Dave assisted Klaus in getting up, and helped him find an outfit to wear.

"Wow, babe. Those pants are..I like them." Klaus looked down at his favorite leather pants with the lace up sides before winking at Dave.

"I bet you'd like them even better off." Both men laughed before Klaus started coughing again, his face reddening from the severity of the fit. Dave's face fell as he wrapped his arm around Klaus's back, he rubbed soothing circles there to comfort him.

"Can't they do this meeting later? You need to rest..." Klaus just waved his hands at Dave.

"I'm fine, I can rest later. Now, come on. Let's go introduce you to the rest of the fam."

—-

**Authors Note**\- _Here it is guys! Chapter 2! I hope you all enjoy it!_

_Okay, soooo I've never had to write anything involving lovers before SO if any of their sweet tender moments seem awkward or forced, I apologize. LOL I'm so out of my element here but gosh darn it! I wanted to give the whole affectionate side of Klaus a try haha_

_As always, if you enjoy, please let me know in the comments!_

_I hope everyone had a lovely_ _thanksgiving and enjoyed spending time with your families and friends!_

_Y'all, I ran my first ever 5K thanksgiving morning! I felt SO accomplished! It was a huge step in my fitness journey (I've recently lost 28lbs and plan to lose another 30-40lbs before my 3 week trip to Ireland/London/Scotland in June) not only did I do the 5K but I also finished in the top 1/3 of the over 1300 people who ran! I feel so proud of myself!_

_Also! A famous actor was running there too! Patrick Wilson (who plays Ed Warren in all of the Conjuring and Annabelle movies!) so cool haha_

_Okay, I hope that wasn't painful to read! Lol_

_Like I said, trying something new here. I'm not used to writing any lovey dovey stuff haha_

_So, the timeline is slightly different here.. they left Vietnam earlier, but arrived later in 2019._

_Time travel is a fickle phanny! Never know where that acorn is gonna pop! Lol_

_Even though it's later (day of the apocalypse and it's currently probably mid afternoon like, say.. 3-4PM?) it's still much earlier in Klaus's cancer diagnosis. He didn't actually find out anything was seriously wrong for over 2 months after the apocalypse. So I'm hoping I'm not making these time lines confusing?! I apologize if I am. Lol just, bare with me and try to keep track! Haha_

_Thank you everyone who has favorited, followed or left any comments thus far! I hope you all will continue to enjoy this story! If so, PLEASE let me know in the comments! Thank you!_

**_TARDISblue13times_**_\- Oh my goodness! Thank you so much, I'm so happy you liked it! I hope you still like it after this chapter?! Haha_

_**fangirl2035**\- Yay! Thank you so much! I'm thrilled to hear that! I hope this chapter didn't disappoint!_

_Next chapter will be up next Saturday! I hope I'll see you all then! Thank you all again!_


	3. Chapter 3

Dave kept his arm firmly wrapped around Klaus's waist as he escorted him down the stairs and into the living room. The room was filled with people, all unfamiliar faces aside from the child he'd just met moments ago.

"Couch, please." Klaus begged his boyfriend. No one was sitting there yet, and he wanted them to claim it first. Dave guided Klaus to the couch, before situating himself and Klaus beside each other on the tufted upholstery. Klaus immediately leaned into Dave, resting his tired head on his shoulder as Dave draped his arm around his loves weary frame, intertwining the fingers of his free hand with Klaus's in his lap.

The people gathered around them, each taking their own seat within the oversized room. Dave couldn't help but feel a little uneasy when all of their gazes promptly landed on him.

"Um, and who are you, exactly?" Diego questioned, his scrutinizing eyes landing on Dave.

"Hello, I'm Dave." He reached his hand toward Diego, but the man looked at his hand before ignoring him and shifting his gaze to Klaus instead.

"What the hell is wrong with you? And where have you been? Off on another bender?" Klaus shook his head no before straightening his posture. Dave steadied his hand against the small of his back while he assisted him in sitting up to better address his prying sibling.

"No Diego, dear. I'll have you know, that I am in fact sober, thank you very much." Diego scoffed. He didn't believe Klaus.

Sober?

He couldn't remember the last time that actually happened.

Klaus groaned, his eyes snapping shut as he curled in on himself letting out a harsh shuddering cough, his shoulders hunching with each uncomfortable sounding hack. Dave soothingly rubbed his back, trying to comfort his boyfriend through his fit.

It was only then that Diego noticed the signs—The sweaty appearance, the shaking, the lethargy. He thought he'd heard him groaning when he entered the room, and there was definitely no denying it now. Not to mention his skin did look a rather sickly shade of gray.

"Shit, are you going through withdrawals right now?" Klaus could only nod with a breathy chuckle in response.

"Not important—we have bigger issues to discuss." Five interrupted.

"Let's get down to the brass tacks, here. The world ends in less than twelve hours, and we are the only ones who can stop it." Klaus let out a pitiful groan again as a pain in his gut flared up. He clutched at his belly as he laid himself across Dave's lap. His exhausted frame was shaking, he was just so damn tired. Dave rubbed his hands up and down Klaus's arm to soothe him, he hated seeing Klaus so sickly. He just wished they could have skipped this meeting, let Klaus rest, at least for a little while. But even Dave had to admit, the reason for this meeting was rather unsettling.

"Um, excuse me," Dave interrupted, raising his hand that wasn't comforting his love into the air in question. He couldn't help but feel completely confused.

"I don't mean to impose, but, what exactly do you mean by the world is ending, um, today?" Five rolled his eyes before addressing the soldier.

"Look, Mike, was it?"

Dave and Klaus scrunched their noses in disgust.

"Dave." They both corrected simultaneously.

"Well, Dave, the apocalypse is here—the end of the world as we know it. We are going to work together to stop it. We didn't know how we could, but I finally have a lead. This name is the key to stopping the end of times." Five pulled a crumpled paper out of his pocket, just as Vanya entered the living room with Leonard.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Vanya asked, pinching her brows together in discontent. Allison quickly rose from her seat, the sound of her heeled boots rapping against the marbled floors echoed through the large room, slicing through the overwhelming silence as she approached her sister. Allison wrapped her hand around Vanya's wrist, peering to her disgruntled sibling with a stern gaze.

"It's a family matter." Vanya scoffed, pulling her hand away.

"Of course, so you couldn't have bothered to include me." She turned to leave, but Allison laid her hand on her shoulder.

"Vanya, please, don't be like that. We will discuss it later, when we are in private." Vanya shook her head and let out a humorless laugh.

"Private? Oh, so you don't want to discuss whatever this is in front of Leonard, is that it? I mean, seriously Allison. He's my boyfriend."

"He doesn't need to be involved with our personal business." Allison defended. Vanya glanced around the room at her siblings before her eyes landed on Dave. She shook her head in disbelief before continuing.

"Really? Who the hell is that? I've never even seen him before, and yet he can be involved in this?" Allison glanced to Dave who understandably looked uncomfortable. Klaus sensed his discomfort, and squeezed his knee reassuringly with his unsteady hand. Klaus cleared his throat, before lifting his weary head out of Dave's lap and shifting his glossy gaze to his sister.

"This is Dave, he's my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" Diego and Luther both muttered gawking at the newfound couple on the couch. Dave's cheeks reddened, he wiggled his fingers at the siblings and shot them an awkward smile.

"Uh, hi." He stated flatly.

"Klaus's boyfriend can take part in the family meeting, but Leonard can't?" She scoffed, shaking her head as she grabbed Leonard by his coat, dragging him alongside her towards the door. Allison ran after her.

"Vanya, wait!"

"No! I'm done. You know, I always thought it was dad who was the problem. Turns out, you guys are the assholes." With that, she was gone. Allison bowed her head in shame, before returning to the living room.

"I...I'm sorry." Dave apologized. He couldn't help but feel bad.

It's true, he didn't know that he should be here for this meeting at all. It didn't seem fair that he could be involved in such an important matter, while that Leonard guy couldn't.

"Don't be." Allison stated.

"I have a bad feeling about him. You on the other hand, you seem pleasant." She smiled at Dave, before approaching him and extending her hand.

"Since Diego was too rude to properly introduce himself—Hello, I'm Allison. I'm Klaus's sister." Dave smiled at Allison while he shook her hand.

"And that asshole is Diego," She pointed at Diego, before pointing around the room to each of their siblings.

"That's Luther, Five and you already know Klaus, of course." She smiled down at her brother who had laid himself back down against Dave's lap. He returned the smile before screwing his eyes shut, clutching onto Dave's knee tighter stifling a groan. He was shivering and noticeably uncomfortable. Allison furrowed her eyebrows in concern before approaching the couch and kneeling in front of Klaus.

"You feeling okay?" She gently laid the back of her hand against his clammy forehead but Klaus grabbed her wrist, softly pulling it away from his face as he smiled at his sister reassuringly.

"I'm fine Ally, really. It's just withdrawals. Nothing I can't handle." She smiled sadly at her brother before running her fingers through his hair.

It was true, she was well aware going through withdrawals was nothing new for Klaus, but she couldn't help but feel concerned for him. She would never get used to the sight of him being so uncomfortable, it never got any easier to witness.

The sound of Five clearing his throat dramatically caught Allison's attention, dragging her from her thoughts and back to the task at hand.

"Now that that's over with, let's get back to business." Five peeled the crinkled piece of paper open and read the name out loud.

"Harold Jenkins is the key to stopping the apocalypse." Everyone in the rooms features shifted to a disconcerted look.

"Who the hell is Harold Jenkins?" Diego asked. Five couldn't conceal the roll of his eyes to his brothers statement, if he knew who Harold Jenkins was, then they wouldn't be in this mess in the first place.

"I don't know, but we are going to find out."

Klaus was beginning to feel rather nauseous. He desperately wanted to go upstairs and to bed, he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer, he was just so exhausted. He shakily leveraged himself off of Dave's lap, and sat up on the couch. He clenched his eyes shut as a wave of fatigue washed over him.

_God why couldn't the room just stop spinning..._

He inhaled a long shaky breath before exhaling and opening his eyes again to address his siblings.

"Right, well, you guys sound like you've got this under control. Dave and I are going to take our leave, have ourselves a little siesta upstairs for a couple of hours." He stood up from his position on the couch, as his knees trembled and threatened to collapse from beneath his weary frame. Dave stood beside him, wrapping his arm supportively around his waist to steady him. He shot Klaus a concerned glance but he just smiled at Dave with a nod to signify he was fine.

Five and Luther wanted to argue, but honestly, what use would Klaus really be to the mission if he could barely stand.

"Fine. We will regroup here in a couple of hours."

With that, Dave lead Klaus back upstairs to finally get his well deserved rest.

—

Klaus hated feeling like this. His head was spinning, and his stomach cramped uncomfortably from the nausea. He tightened his grip on the toilet seat again, heaving into the bowl for what felt like the hundredth time within the last twenty five minutes.

Upon arriving upstairs, his stomach instantly curdled, so he made a mad dash for the bathroom. He almost didn't make it in time, before his stomach contents erupted from his mouth. He vomited for what felt like forever, heaving painfully into the toilet, over and over again. His body shook from exhaustion, and chills. Even now, he continued to heave, even though his stomach had long since been vacant. He coughed into the bowl, his back arching from the force.

Dave was kneeling beside him, gently rubbing soothing circles into the tense muscles in his back with one hand, as he wiped Klaus's sweat dampened curls away from his eyes with the other.

He was whispering words of comfort to him, trying to ease him through this bout of sickness. The nausea came in waves, receding momentarily just long enough for him to seemingly be able to catch his breath, before crashing against him once again.

Klaus was no stranger to withdrawal, but god did he hate this. This was the worst he'd ever felt while detoxing off of drugs before.

Time travel must really fuck you up if you're already sick...

Klaus groaned as he ran his palm over his mouth. He coughed into his hand while reaching to flush the toilet, his arm shook uncontrollably as he did-so. He still felt like shit, but he was fairly certain he was well enough to finally return to his bedroom and try to sleep this haggard feeling off.

Klaus planted his hands on the toilet and tried to use it as leverage to hoist himself upright, but his arms shook so hard, and he was just so damn tired...

Dave didn't have to see his trembling to know Klaus needed his help. He was well aware that Klaus's health was not the strongest in this moment, and that he could use all the help that he could get. So, he wasted no time in gathering Klaus's breathless form into his arms, before bringing him back to his bedroom to sleep.

Klaus was already unconscious by the time they made it into the bedroom. Dave peeled the blankets back on the bed, before gently settling Klaus down on the mattress. He fluffed the pillows under his head, before once again burying him under the mound of blankets.

Dave quickly untied his field boots and laid them carefully to the side of the bed out of the way, so neither of them could trip on them before shimmying himself under the blankets with Klaus.

He pulled his slumbering boyfriend closer to his body, tucking one of his arms under his pillows to further prop him up comfortably, while he draped his other arm over Klaus's waist. Klaus shifted, nuzzling himself closer to Dave's embrace. Dave smiled at his sleeping boyfriend, before planting a delicate kiss to his nose and then his forehead.

_Klaus was so tired..._

Even while sleeping, Dave could clearly see the exhaustion painted on his features. He had dark bruising circles under his beautiful green eyes, and his skin looked oddly pale for someone who just spent ten months marching under the unrelenting rays of the sun in Vietnam. He had a sheen of sweat covering his entire body.

Dave was proud of Klaus for agreeing to give up his drug habit. He knew in the end this would be worth it, but Dave couldn't help but feel guilty for making his boyfriend go through all of this pain.

Dave cuddled himself closer to Klaus, pressing his lips against his curls before closing his own eyes as he too was overcome with lassitude and drifted to sleep.

They slept like that, curled in each others warm comforting embrace for close to four hours, before Five blinked into the room to wake them.

"Wake up! Everyone down stairs, now!" He flashed away again instantly, his tone was urgent, however, so Dave knew he should listen.

Dave clenched his eyes shut tighter before his lashes fluttered, and finally revealed his sleepy blue orbs once more. He sucked in a breath, his chest expanding, before letting out a soft yawn. He tightened his grip on Klaus, who didn't stir at Fives announcement. Dave peered down to his sleeping beauty of a man in his arms. He smiled at his love with adoration as he delicately ran his hand through Klaus's curls, before cupping his cheek into his steady palm. Dave gently massaged his loves skin with his thumb.

"Babe, wake up, they're back. We need to go downstairs." Klaus groaned before opening his eyes into slits. Dave's smile softened as his eyebrows furrowed with worry.

_Klaus just looked so exhausted still..._

"You okay?" He asked softly, tucking an unruly curl behind his ear. Klaus closed his eyes again and nodded.

"I'm fine, just wish we could have slept a bit longer, s'all." He spoke with such a soft tone, it broke Dave's heart to see his love to weak.

Dave nodded in agreement before taking the initiative to pull the blankets away and sitting up on the mattress, he helped ease Klaus upright as well. Dave quickly got dressed and put his boots back on his feet, before returning to the bed and helping Klaus stand. Klaus was still so tired, but he seemed to stand with a little more ease. That comforted Dave, at least he seemed more steady on his feet after their nap.

"The nap seemed to help a bit, yeah? I know my headache is gone, what about yours?" Dave asked as Klaus yawned, stretching his arms above his head.

"Yeah, definitely better than before, anyways." Dave nodded as he hooked his arm with Klaus's. The two time traveling soldiers steadily made their way down the stairs to join Klaus's family as Five requested.

It was dark outside now, and everyone was gathered in the living room. Klaus's eyes widened when he took in all of his siblings appearances, especially Allison's. He gasped before hurriedly approaching her, laying his hands on her shoulders.

"What the hell happened? Ally, are you okay?" Her throat was bandaged, and her skin was absurdly pale. She smiled at him sadly before nodding to reassure him. Allison hurriedly scribbled onto a notepad in her hand before revealing it to Klaus.

'VANYA POWERS—SHE DID THIS—NEEDS OUR HELP'

"Wait, what?" He asked, confusion evident on his features. Allison nodded solemnly to her brother. Klaus furrowed his brows, he was slowly shaking his head to help himself process this news. How could that be?

"No, that..that doesn't make any sense, Ally. Vanya doesn't..she's never—" Klaus's hands flew to his mouth to cover the sudden coughing that erupted from his rattling chest. He hunched forward, his cheeks reddening from the ferocity of the fit. Allison instantly frowned, reaching towards Klaus to steady her sickly brother.

"K—" She went to speak, but only a gurgled sound escaped her lips. She would need to adjust to not being able to talk. Klaus coughed one last time, his chest heaving for oxygen. Dave was at his side rubbing his back with one hand, and supporting his trembling body so he wouldn't collapse with the other.

"Breathe, baby. You're okay." Dave soothed. Klaus swallowed thickly, before shrugging out of Dave's touch.

"I'm fine. Where...where is Vanya now?" All of his siblings looked at him solemnly, but no one spoke. Klaus glanced to each sibling, confusion and concern written all over his face.

"Guys, where is Vanya now?" He repeated a little bit louder. Allison stood, grabbing a hold of Klaus's hand inviting him to follow her. She lead Klaus, Dave, and the rest of their siblings to where Vanya was located.

—-

"This is a joke, right? Please, tell me you're joking!" Klaus exclaimed, stomping up to peer through the glass of the cell that currently held his obviously distraught and terrified sister.

Vanya was banging on the thick metal door saying something, but no noise was heard through the soundproof barrier. Klaus leaned heavily against the door planting his palm against the cool metal. He held his shaky HELLO hand up to the glass as his sister laid her palm over his through the pane, looking to her brother with pleading eyes. He distinctly could make out the phrase 'help me, I'm sorry' from the shape of her lips. He quickly turned to his siblings, rage burned across on his features.

"Let her out, Luther! This is ridiculous! That is our sister!" Luther folded his arms across his chest as he glared at Klaus.

"She hurt Allison. She is a danger to all of us, she stays put." Allison strode across the room and latched onto Luther's arm. She held up her notepad, practically shoving it in his face.

'MY FAULT—LET HER GO'

"I can't do that. She hurt you." He stated shakily, with a solemn expression.

Allison couldn't hold back her feelings any longer. She started punching Luther, slamming her fists down on his shoulders, over and over again. She was so angry and upset.

Klaus looked back at the cage that imprisoned his sister. He took one look into her terrified eyes and he knew he needed to help her.

He took an unsteady step back, his body wavering as fatigue washed over him. He wrenched his eyes shut, shaking his head to clear this dreadful feeling. He had to focus, this was important, Vanya needed his help. He examined the cell. His weary green eyes darted around the exterior wall until they spotted the latch that opened it. Klaus reacted immediately, clutching onto the latch with both of hands. He threw all of his strength into trying to open it, but no matter how hard he tried, nothing happened. It was no use, he just wasn't strong enough, he couldn't get it to budge.

"Klaus, stop it, she stays in there!" Luther stomped towards his brother, roughly laying his hand on his shoulder, and forcing him away from the door. Klaus wrenched away from his grip, spinning abruptly and glaring at number one.

"Luther, this is insane! This is vanya we're talking about! Vanya, our sister, who would...never—" Klaus's voice wavered, as his skin turned a sickly shade of pale. His eyebrows furrowed before his features relaxed; his eyes fluttered as they rolled into the back of his head. Klaus's body suddenly went limp and crumpled to the floor. His siblings audibly gasped, alarmed by their brothers sudden collapse. Dave's eyes widened at the sight.

"Babe!" He ran to his loves side, he stooped down to his knees and pulled Klaus's limp form into his arms on his lap.

"Klaus, baby, wake up. Please, wake up!" He gently tapped Klaus's cheek to try to wake him, but Klaus didn't move. He looked so pale, and sickly. His skin was drenched in sweat, his breaths stuttering out in quick raspy gasps.

Dave gathered his unconscious form into his arms as he stood. Allison grabbed ahold of Dave's elbow, their concerned gazes met as she hurriedly ushered them to the infirmary.

—-

When Klaus came to he way laying on one of the uncomfortable cots in the infirmary; the bed reminded him of the one he used to sleep on in Vietnam.

The room was spinning, so he opted to close his eyes once again, at least for a little while longer.

"You're awake. How are you feeling, baby, you scared me." Dave's hand tightened around Klaus's fingers. Klaus opened his eyes again, taking in the worried expression of his boyfriend.

"Sorry. I don't know what happened." He was honest in that statement, he didn't know what happened. He'd been exhausted all day, but last he remembered, he was arguing with Luther then everything just shifted, and faded, before disappearing into nothing.

"Klaus, darling, you were severely dehydrated. When was the last time you've had anything to drink?" Grace laid a cool towel over his forehead, as she checked the IV in his arm.

"You're running a mild fever as well. My poor boy, what am I to do with you. You should really take better care of yourself, dear." He craned his neck to look at his mother.

"Sorry mom, Dave here is helping me do that. I'd be lost without him. I promise, it'll get better." She smiled down at him lovingly before kissing his cheek, and softly patting his curls.

"You just rest now, okay? I expect Dave will watch over you?" She glanced after Dave, who smiled and nodded at Grace in return.

"Yes ma'am, I'll watch him, keep him safe. I promise." Grace smiled fondly at Dave, before looking into Klaus's eyes.

"I'm glad you've finally found someone who is the perfect fit for you, Klaus. I approve of this young man. Now, rest. I'll be back to check on you in a little while." He smiled as she patted his head, and finally exited the infirmary before shifting his sights to Dave with an inquisitive expression.

"Your moms a real nice lady." Klaus hummed in acknowledgment. He swallowed the saliva in his mouth before closing his weary eyes.

"She's the best. So, did she have to beat it out of you that you're my boyfriend, or did you offer that information willingly?" Dave laughed, leaning towards Klaus to adjust the towel that started to slip off of his forehead.

"She asked who I was, so I told her. My names Dave Katz, Ma'am. I'm Klaus's boyfriend, pleased to meet your acquaintance." He pantomimed how he introduced himself to Grace earning a tired chuckle from his boyfriend.

"How long was I out?" Klaus asked groggily, opening his eyes again and peering to Dave.

"Not too long, a little less than thirty minutes."

"Is Vanya still—" He went to continue, but a cough forced its way through his lips. He curled onto his side, covering his mouth with his hands. Dave looked at him sympathetically before wrapping his arms around him in an embrace, rubbing his back.

"Shh shh you're okay." Klaus cleared his throat before settling back down onto the mat.

"She is still in that..room, I believe, yes." Klaus nodded. They sat there in silence for a couple of minutes before Klaus snatched the rag off of his forehead and began to sit up.

"No, babe, just relax. You heard your mom, I'm supposed to watch over you. You need to rest." He gently laid his hand on Klaus's shoulder to try to ease him back down, but Klaus shrugged away from his touch. He sat up, slinging his legs over the edge of the bed and just sat there to gather his bearings.

"There's no time to rest, we need to help Vanya, and we need to stop the apocalypse. I can rest when we are either dead, or finally safe." He laid his hand on Dave's shoulder reassuringly and smiled at him.

"I know you're worried, but I'm fine, really. This is just normal withdrawal crap."

"I'd just feel better if you at least slept for a little while longer. You've been going non stop aside from that measly nap earlier. Withdrawals or not, you're still sick."

"Babe, I appreciate you're concern, but I'm—" A loud explosion cut Klaus's speech off, startling both boys. Dave abruptly stood positioning himself in front of Klaus in a protective manner, facing the door of the infirmary to ensure there was no immediate threat of danger.

"What the hell?" Dave stared wide eyed in surprise. Without hesitation, Klaus ripped the IV out of his arm, and forced himself to stand. He was a little dizzy, but he felt a lot better now that he wasn't so dehydrated. He grabbed ahold of Dave's hand, dragging him through the door to find the cause of the explosion.

They followed the sound of his siblings voices down the corridor and found themselves back in the living room.

"What happened? Was that an explosion?" Klaus asked. His eyebrows were pinched together in concern.

"It was Vanya, she somehow escaped from her cell, she's gone. We need to find her! She's the cause of the apocalypse!" Five shouted to Klaus. Klaus's eyes widened in shock.

"Wait, what? I thought Harold Jenkins—"

"Harold Jenkins is Leonard Peabody. Well, he was. Yeah, turns out Vanya's boyfriend was the culprit. But when she hurt Allison, she killed Leonard." Diego explained before his expression shifted to sorrow. He tilted his gaze down to the marbled floor.

"Klaus, when she escaped she...she killed Pogo." Klaus's face fell at the news of Pogo's death. It wasn't true, it couldn't be...

"He was training Vanya to use her powers. He found one of dads old books with notes about all of us somehow. Leonard was the fuse, but Vanya is the bomb! We are running out of time!" Five was pacing the floors anxiously.

"How do we—what can we even do to stop her? She's our sister, we can't—"

"Can't what, Klaus? Kill her? It's her life verses the entire world. We have to do whatever is necessary to stop this."

"Woah, woah, no way. You can't kill your own sister!" Dave couldn't believe his ears.

"Believe me, if there was any other way, I would choose it. But we don't have time. This is our only chance."

"There's always another way!" Dave pleaded.

This was so much information to take in. Vanya's boyfriend was Harold Jenkins? She-she killed him, and Pogo? Vanya couldn't possibly be capable of that; she would cry if they'd step on ants as children, certainly she was incapable of murder.

Klaus's head was reeling and spinning. He dizzily stumbled to the nearest chair and sat down, burying his face in the palms of his hands. Dave and Allison followed him.

"You okay?" Dave asked, he and Allison both were eyeing him worriedly. Klaus sighed, and nodded before straightening his posture.

"Yeah. It's just a lot to take in." He vaguely gestured his hands around the situation, Allison nodded in agreement.

"She has a concert tonight at the Icarus Theatre. It starts in one hour, we all need to head there and end this once and for all."

—-

Everyone piled into Fives van and rushed to the theatre. They didn't exactly have a plan, they just knew they had to stop her. The end of the world literally rested in their hands.

When they arrived at the theatre, they all made their way inside the lobby.

"So, what's the plan?" Klaus asked as they all stopped right before the entrance into the main concert hall.

"We are all going to go inside, split up and circle around her. Allison is going to be a distraction. Klaus—"

Klaus's ears perked when Five mentioned his name.

"You're the lookout." Klaus's face visibly fell.

"The lookout? No, no way, I want to help!" He went to stomp forward, but Dave laid a grounding hand on his shoulder. Klaus looked at Dave's hand and then into his eyes.

"Dave.." Klaus's expression showed his true emotions—he felt betrayed, and that hurt. He knew that Dave's intentions were good, he just worried for Klaus's health and well-being, but he was fine. He knew he could handle this.

Dave looked ashamed, but he agreed with Fives request.

"I think that's the best choice, babe." Klaus shook his head no and went to protest, but Five interrupted.

"Listen, do you hear that? The music has begun, there's no time. Klaus, you're not physically able to keep up right now, just be happy we are letting you even do that." With that, all of the siblings, and a reluctant Dave piled into the theatre. Klaus huffed a sigh of annoyance before walking back outside to take his all too familiar position as the lookout.

Klaus paced up and down the side walk listening for any signs of trouble. He'd been the lookout his entire life, he didn't want to do this anymore. He just wished his siblings would, for once, take him seriously. This wasn't fair!

He'd literally fought in the fucking Vietnam war, and his siblings still found him to be too much of a liability? Him being sick isn't even an excuse. Reggie never let them slack off just because they were ill, why should this time be any different? He's vertical, isn't he? As long as he's upright and breathing, he can still fight!

Klaus's head was pounding from all of the pressure of his siblings distrust towards him.

He hated always feeling like he was never good enough.

Klaus swayed on his feet, he suddenly felt so dizzy again. He was ready for all of this bullshit to end. He sat down on the steps at the theatre entrance, pinching his eyes shut to try to stop the world from spinning.

"Klaus, what the fuck, man! Where have you been?" Ben's voice came out of nowhere, startling Klaus. He jumped, clutching at his chest.

"Christ in a cracker, Ben! Me? Where have you been! I haven't seen you at all since I've been back."

"Back? From where? You just disappeared, I couldn't sense you or feel you anywhere, Klaus!" Klaus smiled at his deceased brother.

"Sorry about that, bro. Remember how I snagged that briefcase from those psychos? Yeah, turns out, it was a time machine! I just spent the last ten months fighting in the Vietnam war! You believe that? Me, a soldier!" Ben's jaw dropped in shock at his brothers words.

"What? Klaus, Jesus Christ! Vietnam? Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" Ben looked around Klaus as if to inspect him for injuries. Klaus just laughed as he swatted his hands at his sibling.

"I mean, I certainly earned my own scars there, but I'm fine. Met myself a man, too. I can't wait for you to meet him. You're gonna love Dave—" He stopped speaking, as a painfully dry cough erupted from his chest, he covered his mouth with his unsteady palms.

Ben's face fell as he watched.

"You okay? Christ, you sound awful." Klaus coughed once more before once again smiling at his ghostly brother.

"I'm good. In fact, I'm better than good. Withdrawals are a bitch, but I'm sober. Surprise!" He wiggled his fingers to his side in a display of jazz hands.

"Wow, Klaus. Really? That's awesome, I'm so proud of you, man—oh shit." Ben leaned to look past Klaus as a figure approaching caught his attention. Klaus noticed his shift in posture, and turned to follow Ben's field of vision.

As if they didn't already have enough bullshit to worry about, now on top of everything else Cha-Cha was heading their way.

Klaus went to speak, when suddenly the familiar sound of automatic rifles firing sounded from within the theatre.

"Shit, I'm supposed to be the damn lookout!" Klaus dizzily shot to his feet, before running back inside.

He didn't care if there were gunshots; he had to warn his siblings and Dave of Cha-Cha, and he had to try anything to save them from whoever was shooting inside the theatre. He ran through the lobby, before slamming through the door to the concert hall entrance.

"Guys, Cha-Cha's—"

"Babe, get down!" Dave instinctively shouted to Klaus.

Klaus immediately listened, slamming himself against the floorboards as fast as he could, a barrage of bullets whizzing in his direction. He had his hands cupped over his ears, as he peeled his head off of the floor, taking in his surroundings.

There were shooters dressed in all black suits with red masks attacking his family. Diego was tossing his knives as fast as he was able to snatch them from his being. Until Cha-Cha entered, then he turned his focus to her as Luther covered his six, ramming one of the assailants into a wall. Five was spacial jumping between as many as he could, hanging off of their backs, and snapping their necks. Allison was currently in a fierce hand to hand combat with one she must have dislodged their gun from, and Dave had one of their guns, and was firing at will, targeting as many of the shooters as he could. They were vastly outnumbered, though. They didn't have time for this.

They were running out of time.

Suddenly, Klaus's fingers went numb and began to tingle. He peeled them off of his ears and looked at his hands. A blue light engulfed his fingertips, before spreading up his forearms.

It was a strange feeling, suddenly a huge surge of energy filled him. He stood, rising to his feet, and spread his arms to his sides.

Klaus didn't know how to explain it; but he just had this overwhelming sensation overcome him, he knew what he had to do...

Ben appeared before him in a shining blue light. He peeled back his jacket from his torso, unleashing the horror from within him. Tentacles stretched amongst the crowded theatre, slamming down on gunned assailants, and ripping them in half. All of the siblings and Dave turned in utter disbelief at the sight before them.

"Holy shit..it's..it's Ben!" Luther exclaimed. No one could speak. There, standing before them all was their long deceased brother in all of his tentacled glory. This was nothing short of a miracle. Dave's eyes were wide, as his jaw dropped. He'd never seen anything like this.

When the final gunman was obliterated by the horror within Ben, he retracted his tentacles before disappearing from sight just as the blue light dissipated from Klaus's form. He dropped his arms, shooting Ben a huge smile.

"And that was just the lookout." He laughed before he swayed dizzily, stumbling back. The surge of energy was gone and left him utterly exhausted. He reached out to grab one of the seats in the theatre to steady himself before his knees could buckle. Dave rushed to his side, wrapping him in his strong supportive arms. Klaus slumped against his boyfriends chest but continued to smile.

"Did you see that, babe? I did that! That was my brother, Ben! I can't believe I did that." He started to sag in Dave's arms again, but Dave tightened his grip.

"Woah, easy babe. Maybe you should sit down for a minute?" Klaus shook his head to clear the fog from his brain before straightening up. He was able to compose himself enough to support his weight, so he pulled away from Dave's touch.

"No, I'm fine. We need to focus on Vanya now."

Vanya was the image of raw power.

She was dressed in all white, and was fiercely playing her violin.

They needed to act fast.

"We can't kill her!" Dave insisted, as all of the siblings huddled to decipher their plan.

"We have no other choice!" Five shouted.

"Diego, you and I stage left, Five and Allison stage right. Klaus, you and Dave go up the middle. We surround her. Go!" Luther demanded as they all took their positions.

Luther gave the signal and they all ran towards their sister.

No one knew how to explain it, but before they could realize what was happening, they were all suspended in the air in a glowing blue light.

There was only one way to describe this feeling; it was painful.

They could all feel their energy draining at the hands of their own sister. But, where was Allison?

Unknowingly to her siblings, Allison disobeyed her orders. She refused to kill her sister, she loved her too much. She appeared behind Vanya, a gun held in her hand. But she knew she'd never shoot. Allison could see the pain on her siblings faces, as well as Dave's, she knew she had to act now.

She slammed the gun down against the stage beneath her feet, the sound distracting Vanya, causing her to lose her grip on her siblings and Dave. They fell to the ground in a heap. Vanya turned towards Allison, a look of surprise on her face. Allison approached her sister, she outstretched her arms, throwing them around Vanya, pulling her into a bone crushing embrace.

Vanya stiffened before finally relaxing into Allison's arms, a tear slid down her cheek, a sob bellowing from her lips.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"

She opened her eyes; the once blue shade morphed back into their original brown hue. Allison's gaze met her sisters, she smiled and nodded in forgiveness before both women tightened their embrace of one another.

They did it.

The apocalypse had been adverted.

It was over!

They could finally go home.

—

**Authors Note**\- _Thanks so much for reading guys! Sorry if the time line is all screwy I'm trying to squeeze as much into a short period of time as best I can lol honestly, I've finished 16 chapters of this 20 chapter story and JUST realized I never included Pogo in it (oops. Y'all, I don't know how to write him! He's too eloquent for me lol I'm not smart enough to handle his character!) So I quickly added him being killed by Vanya when she escaped the vault into this chapter. So if it feels super briefly touched upon..that's why. Lol_

**TARDISblue13times**_\- Aww Thank you so much! I'm so happy you're enjoying it thus far (hopefully you still are haha) Yes! Dave is the best I wish we actually got more time with him on the show (fingers crossed for S2!) I hope you enjoyed this interaction between him and Klaus's siblings! Thank you for your comment, I appreciate_ you!

_Guys! Okay, so I had a major fan girl moment on Twitter on Thursday.. I re-watched TUA (because I mean, why not?!) and the scene where Dave died in Klaus's arms came on and I just had to tweet about it and GUYS—_**CODY RAY THOMPSON LIKED MY TWEET, REPLIED TO ME AND THEN CONTINUED TO FOLLOW THE THREAD AND LIKE MY REPLIES FOR THREE HOURS**_ lmao he is so stinking precious I cannot even! No better person to play our beautiful soldier boy Dave! He is a doll-baby!_

_Also—someone randomly started a thread with me on the tweet ABOUT AO3 (similar site to fan fiction) and talked about Klave stories (I didn't admit I write because my stories are sad LOL) but I did respond about how it's the actors talent that drew me in and keeps me coming back for more, but that the fan renditions are an amazing creative outlet that I enjoy reading as well, ya just gotta envision the actors playing out the "scenes" and HE LIKED THAT so he read the entire thread about AO3 I'm dead LOL_

_If anyone is interested in randomly following me on twitter or tumblr (although, I never really post and I JUST created a tumblr this week and have no idea what I'm doing lol), you can find me here:_

**Twitter**_\- _**CourtneyTarynxX**

**Tumblr**_\- _**courtneytarynofficial**

_Thank you everyone who has followed, favorited or commented on this story! I hope you all will continue to enjoy it! If so, as always, please let me know in the comments! Thank you all! See you next Saturday with the next chapter! :)_


	4. Chapter 4

Everyone was exhausted upon arriving home to the academy. It had been a very long, taxing, and incredibly stressful day for each of them.

Luther held the door open for everyone as they filed into the foyer, before securely closing it behind them. Allison held hands with Vanya as they made their way into the living room, taking a seat beside each other on the couch. Vanya rested her head on Allison's shoulder as Allison stroked her fingers through her sisters long silky hair to comfort her.

Diego slumped into a one of the lone chairs in the living room exhaling a sigh of relief while rubbing his palms down his face.

Thank God this was finally over.

Five propped himself against one of the many stone columns in the room, hiking one leg up to rest his heel on the pillar. He tilted his head against the cool sculpted stone while closing his eyes.

_And he smiled..._

All that he'd witnessed; every hardship and woe in his time alone in the apocalypse—the loneliness, the death, the overwhelming sense of loss, both for his siblings, and in many ways for himself could finally wash away and dissolve. Five could finally move on, continue to live his life away from this.

Although, he would never truly be able to forget.

But it _was_ over.

Finally...

It almost didn't even feel real, he was so incredibly relieved.

Dave had Klaus's arm slung over his shoulder as he all but carried him through the threshold into the living room. Dave himself was exhausted, he couldn't even begin to imagine how his darling Klaus must be feeling.

Just today they'd traveled through time to avoid their inevitable death, stopped the oncoming apocalypse. He'd summoned his brother Ben from beyond the veil, not to mention, he'd been struggling with the harsh side effects from drug withdrawal, as well as severe dehydration.

Klaus's eye lids kept drooping but he continued to fight the urge to sleep.

Dave couldn't help but be impressed by his strength.

"Stellar job tonight, guys! Allison, wow, I'm so proud of you! Thank god you listened to your heart and not some stupid orders! Oh, uh, no offense Five and Luther." Klaus smiled tiredly at his siblings. He was so incredibly proud of each and every single person in this room, so relieved for them all.

This was the victory they all so desperately deserved.

Luther entered the room and just stared at Klaus with cold eyes. Klaus greeted his brother with a weary yet bright smile but his cheerful expression quickly faded when he realized the intent behind his brother's scowl.

"What?" Klaus asked exasperatedly.

"Good job lookout. Honestly, Klaus. What happened? We gave you the easiest task because we knew you couldn't physically handle anything else, and yet you still somehow managed to screw it up." Klaus's jaw clenched at his brothers statement.

Was he fucking serious?

"Excuse me?" He removed himself from Dave's grasp and took an unsteady step towards his accusatory brother.

"I kept watch the entire time. I don't know where the hell those masked ass hats came from, but it certainly wasn't the front door. I ran in to warn you of Cha-Cha when she came. Not to mention, uh, hello—I summoned Ben tonight, who saved all of your asses! I'm sorry, is that not good enough for you?"

"Just, pay attention. You could have gotten us all killed."

"I didn't though, and I ended up being quite a fucking asset in the end there, didn't I?" Klaus coughed harshly into his hands, he was getting worked up. He straightened as Luther simply folded his massive arms across his chest. He rolled his eyes and glared at Klaus.

"And quit that coughing, it's disgusting." Klaus's face scrunched into disgust.

"I'm sorry, does my not feeling well bother you? Well, then number one, kindly advert your gaze!" He coughed again, leaning forward clutching his abdomen with his free arm as he screwed his eyes shut.

_He was starting to feel so dizzy..._

Klaus's entire body ached from the day's events, he'd already more than pushed himself past his limits. This unnecessary argument was the last thing he needed in his current state. His knees became wobbly and threatened to buckle out from beneath him as his energy continued to deteriorate. Dave noticed Klaus's stance weaken, he immediately strode to his boyfriends side, once again wrapping Klaus's arm across his shoulder as he slung his own arm around his loves waist to support him.

"That's quite enough!" Dave huffed. He'd just met this family, and he'd already seen about enough of how the majority of them seemed to like to treat his boyfriend.

"Never in my life have I seen such an absurd amount of sibling drama! Klaus more than pulled his weight today! How dare you speak to him like he was wasting space! He shouldn't have even been there, he should have been here resting! He's been sick for days! I tried to get him to stay back but he refused, he just wanted to help! And for what? His family to not appreciate him and treat him like he's no more than the filth beneath their shoe!" Klaus groaned clutching at his stomach. All of this was making him feel nauseated.

"He better not vomit on the floor. He's cleaning it up if he does."

A beat of silence passed after Luther's heartless comment. Dave wanted nothing more than to pummel the living shit out of Luther in this moment.

What kind of a terrible person gets angry at someone for being sick?

"I can't even believe my ears right now! You're disgusting! He is fucking sick, how dare you!" Klaus groaned again, he just felt so terrible right now. He just wanted to go back upstairs and sleep.

"Let's just go babe. I want to go to bed."

"Yeah, take him to bed. It's about the only thing he's good at." Klaus glared at Luther before squeezing his eyes shut. He just felt so exhausted right now. He could feel Dave stiffen at that comment, and knew he'd want to retaliate.

"Let's go, Dave. Come on, we don't have to listen to this." He started to head towards the staircase, attempting to drag Dave alongside him. Dave wanted to stay and argue, hell, more than anything he wanted to knock some sense into a Luther, but Klaus's well-being took precedents over his own angry emotions. And right now Klaus needed to rest. Dave tightened his grip around his loves waist and helped him ascend the staircase to bring him up to bed.

They made it about eight steps up before Klaus's knees completely gave out on him. Dave saved him from falling and lifted him up into his arms before carrying him the rest of the way to his bedroom.

Dave tenderly deposited Klaus's exhausted form onto his bed, before draping the blankets over his trembling body.

"I can't believe they have the audacity to speak to you in such a manner! I'd have never spoken to an enemy like that, let alone my own family!" Dave was heated.

Poor Klaus was so sick, and he still pulled through more than enough tonight, how dare they treat him like that?

He couldn't believe it!

Klaus pinched his eyes shut and groaned pulling the blankets closer to his chest. He was shivering and beyond the point of pure exhaustion.

"I'm used to it, babe. Don't let it bother you so much. Just come to bed, please? I'm tired, and I want nothing more than to curl up in your arms right now." Dave stopped angrily pacing the floor at Klaus's soft pleading tone and took in his love's appearance. He was trembling under the covers, his teeth were chattering harshly within his skull. He could see the sheen of sweat that coated his body from where he stood.

_He just looked so terrible..._

Dave's expression softened as he quickly removed his boots and his pants, stripping into only his boxers. He climbed under the covers with Klaus, curling up as close to his love as he could.

Klaus immediately wrapped his arms around Dave, burying his face against his lovers warm chest. Dave planted a kiss against his flushed cheek and instantly frowned.

"Babe, I think your fever came back." He gently brushed the back of his hand against Klaus's forehead, it was definitely warmer than it should have been.

"M'fine, s'normal." Klaus was mumbling tiredly against his chest, the poor dear was already nearly asleep. Dave just tightened his grip around his love's frame, pulling him tightly against himself, wrapping him up snuggly beneath the blankets. He kissed his curls before closing his own eyes.

"Goodnight, darlin. I love you so much. Feel better."

—-

Five days had passed since the almost apocalypse. Luther continued to treat Klaus like shit anytime he saw him. Dave wasn't even sure how, but he seemed to somehow manage to drag Five and Diego into the fight against Klaus as well, as they too seemed to be holding a grudge against him for some god forsaken reason.

Today was the two week mark for sobriety for Klaus. Dave felt that they should have been celebrating this monumental occasion, it was a huge milestone for his love.

_But they weren't..._

Dave would have hoped that Klaus would have started feeling better by now, he certainly thought two weeks would have been plenty of time for him to kick the terrible symptoms that had been plaguing him for weeks, but that just didn't seem to be the case.

In fact, Dave swore that if anything, Klaus's health had only gotten _worse_.

Klaus rarely seemed to have any energy. Ever since the apocalypse, he'd slept for longer periods throughout the day, and would often times be napping. He was constantly cold, his body riddled by chills even though his skin was almost always burning up with a low grade fever. He never had an appetite anymore, either.

Dave had to try to force him to eat, bringing crackers or toast, something that would be easy on his stomach since he'd still been battling intense bouts of nausea.

Klaus seemed to be plagued by dizzy spells rather frequently, now. Dave had found him collapsed in the bathroom the other day. He'd been walking upstairs to bring Klaus some water when he heard the sound of a groan accompanied by a loud thud coming from the bathroom at the end of the hall. When he opened the door he found Klaus struggling to pull himself off of the cold tiled floor. The water from the tub was overflowing and pooling around his weakened frame. When Dave rushed to his side and asked him what happened, and if he was alright Klaus just assured him that he was fine, he'd just gotten a little light headed.

_Dave didn't like this at all..._

Even when his cousin was battling withdrawals, her symptoms didn't mirror too many of Klaus's. Dave couldn't help but fear that maybe there was some underlying issue going on here.

Perhaps Klaus was actually sick with something else; like the flu, or a virus of some sort.

Dave decided that he'd rather play it safe than be sorry and go ahead and bring Klaus to a doctor to have him checked out.

Dave and Klaus were in their room watching a movie together. Unsurprisingly, Klaus had fallen asleep shortly after it begun. He was bundled under the covers and Dave swore he looked like the cutest burrito he had ever seen. Dave sat beside him on the bed, gently rubbing soothing circles in his slumbering boyfriends back throughout the duration of the film. Klaus was exhausted, if he needed to rest then Dave would allow him to do-so, but he would pamper him in whatever ways he could to let Klaus know he was there for him, and show him just how much he was loved.

"Babe, wake up." Klaus groaned before opening his eyes into slits.

"Did I fall asleep? Shit, sorry." He tiredly rubbed the sleep out of his eyes with the back of his hands. Dave smiled at him and ran his fingers through his curly brown hair.

"It's okay, babe. You're just tired. How are you feeling, any better?" Klaus groaned screwing his eyes shut once more.

"No, not really. I think—" He paused, bringing his shaky hand to his mouth.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Dave sprang into action and helped get Klaus up, guiding him into the half bath in their room as he eased him down onto his knees in front of the toilet. Klaus clung to the porcelain as he retched, bile spilling into the bowl. Dave cooed to him and rubbed his back soothingly to try to comfort him through his nausea.

"You're okay, baby, it's okay." Klaus gagged as he repeatedly dry heaved into the toilet. Dave wished there was something, anything else that he could do for his poor love, he hated seeing him so uncomfortable.

"Klaus, babe, I think it's time we bring you to a doctor. I don't think it's normal for symptoms to persist this long, you may be sick with something else. We ought to get you checked out." Klaus groaned at the thought.

"God, you and Ben sound like broken records. As I already told him, I'm okay, really. I don't think that's necessary." His body tensed as the nauseous feeling overwhelmed his weary frame again, causing him to heave into the bowl once more.

"No, Klaus. We are going, and that's final. I'm not asking, I'm telling you. That's an order, private." Klaus smirked at Dave's words; leave it to his boyfriend to turn this into some military drill. He raised his hand to his brow in a sluggish salute to appease him.

"Sir, yes sir." He groaned before he coughed into the toilet.

Ben was casually propped against the wall in the corner observing the couple. He had a smile on his face.

"You're right, Klaus. I do like him."

—-

Dave helped Klaus clean himself up a bit after his nauseous spell and assisted him in getting dressed. Dave thought Klaus looked sexy in those leather pants from the other day, but he also rather enjoyed the charcoal gray tight fitting jeans and lavender shirt with the plunging neckline he wore now.

Then again, Klaus looked beautiful in anything he wore. Dave was certain that Klaus could wear a potato sack and he'd still look like pure perfection in his eyes.

Klaus coughed into the crook of his elbow while he sat on his bed, slipping his feet into a comfortable pair of black and gold loafers. He wiped his palms down his thighs as he cleared his throat before rising up to his feet. He furrowed his eyebrows as he swayed dizzily, before falling right back down onto the bed with a thud. Klaus groaned, burying his face into his shaky hands. He was so tired of being so lightheaded all the time. Dave tutted, his lips tugging down into a frown as he approached his love on the bed.

"I don't like how dizzy you always are. It really concerns me, baby." Dave sat next to Klaus on the edge of the mattress while Klaus slumped against his shoulder burrowing his forehead under his love's chin. Dave rubbed his back with one hand, as he felt his forehead with the other.

"It's a good day to take you in, you definitely are running a fever again." Klaus groaned.

Dave knew he didn't want to go to the doctor, but it was the best thing they could do for Klaus. Anything to help him feel better.

Dave hooked his arm around his waist and eased him onto his feet. Klaus groaned, but he allowed Dave to help guide him out of the room and down the hall. On their way down the stairs they passed Diego who slowed his pace when he saw the couple.

"You look like shit." Diego said, taking in his brothers appearance.

"Well, thank you." Klaus replied tiredly.

Dave tightened his grip on the small of Klaus's back before turning to face Diego.

"Hey, do you have a vehicle by chance?" He asked. Diego raised an eyebrow at Dave and smirked.

"I do, but no, I'm not a taxi service. I don't hand out rides."

"Come on, man. Look at him, he just keeps getting worse. He needs to go to a doctor. I wouldn't ask for anything unless it was important. Please?" Diego looked from Dave and back to Klaus who was groaning and covered in sweat. He had to admit, his brother did look worse than the last time he'd seen him. Diego rolled his eyes before looking back to Dave.

"Fine, I'll take you. But we aren't making a habit of this, got it?" Dave shot Diego a thankful smile.

"Thank you, I really appreciate this."

"Yeah, yeah, let's just go."

—-

The ride to the hospital was mostly quiet. Diego drove, while Dave just sat in the back with Klaus. Klaus was resting against Dave the entire ride. He had his eyes closed, but he wasn't asleep.

He felt too miserable to be.

His stomach was killing him. He'd never experienced motion sickness before, but Klaus was almost certain that's what he was feeling right now. His stomach was cramping in protest to the constant motion of the moving car. He had his fists clenched into his shirt to try to calm his ailing belly. Any time they'd hit a pot hole, or the tiniest divit in the road it would cause him to groan in discomfort.

Dave was eyeing him worriedly as he held him pressed against his side. He was kissing the top of his head and whispering soothing words into his ear. It pained him to see his love so miserable. Diego adjusted his rear view mirror to peer into the backseat to see how his brother was doing.

"He doing okay back there? He isn't going to get sick, is he?" As if on cue, Klaus's hands shot to his mouth as the all too familiar feeling of nausea overtook him causing bile to rise into his throat.

"Pull over!" Dave exclaimed, keeping a steadying hand on his struggling boyfriend.

Diego veered to the side of the road and threw the car into park just as Klaus fumbled with the handle on the door, opening it, and practically slumping out of the vehicle onto the ground.

He curled his slender fingers into the grass as he retched. Dave followed behind him and wrapped his arm around him to steady his shaking form.

"It's okay, babe, let it all out." Klaus was coughing now, a harsh asthmatic sounding cough that rattled his ribs. He sounded about as miserable as he looked.

When he was done he eased himself back so he was sitting on his knees pressed against Dave's chest. He was shaking as he heaved for each breath. Dave held him and smoothed his sweat soaked curls off of his flushed face.

"Jesus, you weren't kidding, he definitely needs to see a doctor." Diego stated through his door that he'd opened to keep an eye on his ill sibling.

Even if they were in a bit of a disagreement at the moment, that was still his brother, he couldn't help but feel concerned for him, especially seeing him like this.

_He was just so sick..._

"You think you're okay to continue? We are almost there." Diego asked.

Klaus nodded his head as Dave helped ease him off of the ground. They made their way back inside the vehicle before hitting the road once again.

—-

When they made it to the hospital Dave sat Klaus down in a chair in the lobby as he approached the desk to ask for the intake paperwork. Diego sat across from Klaus to keep watch over him.

It didn't take too long for Dave to finish filling out the paperwork. He returned it to the front desk staff before settling himself into the chair beside Klaus. Klaus rested his head on Dave's shoulder again and closed his eyes.

They sat like that for about twenty minutes before a nurse entered and called them back to be seen.

—-

Dave was sitting on the hospital bed with Klaus's slumbering form bundled in his lap.

They'd already been there for quite a few hours. The nurse went over his symptoms before bringing him for various tests to multiple different locations within the hospital.

Dave and Diego stayed in Klaus's room to wait for him; as they weren't allowed to accompany him for any of the exams, aside from the bloodwork, which was the first examination they performed when they first arrived at the hospital.

He'd been gone for nearly three hours before they finally wheeled him back to the room.

He was exhausted.

He didn't understand why they had to do so many tests on him just for some basic nausea and fatigue when it was just withdrawal symptoms.

He was fine!

But Dave insisted there must be an underlying problem and pushed them to run extra tests. It just seemed unnecessary to Klaus. But, if it would make Dave feel better, bring him some form of relief, then he didn't mind doing them.

Dave immediately helped Klaus onto the bed and tucked his trembling form in.

Klaus was shivering, he kept saying he was so cold, that he couldn't get warm. Even when he was tucked beneath the sheet on the bed, his teeth continued to chatter.

Dave couldn't stand seeing him so uncomfortable.

So Dave crawled into the bed with Klaus. He wrapped his arms around his love's quivering form and pulled him snug against himself to allow Klaus to leech his warmth. Klaus snaked his arms around Dave's muscular frame and pressed his face against his chest. He sighed from the relief he felt from Dave's embrace.

The combination of the sheet and Dave's body heat instantly relieved the deep chill from his bones. It didn't take long at all for Klaus to finally relax and fall asleep in the loving embrace of his loves arms.

Dave and Diego sat in complete silence in the room while Klaus slept. It was awkward, however neither of them really minded the silence.

But silence can never last.

"So," Began Diego.

"How long have you two been, you know, together?"

Dave lifted just chin away from Klaus's curly mop of hair and looked to Diego.

"Nearly ten months."

"How come I've never heard of you before?"

Klaus shifted in Dave's lap, curling himself closer to his touch as he moved his arm from Dave's chest to his lap. He licked his lips and nuzzled his face deeper into Dave's shoulder. Dave smiled down at Klaus before running his fingers lovingly through his hair.

"Because he'd just gotten back before shit hit the fan, how would you expect him to tell you?"

Diego raised an eyebrow at Dave's statement.

"Got back? From where?"

Dave pinched his eyebrows together and tilted his head as he observed Diego's genuinely confused expression.

"Oh, did you not know? I'm sorry, I just thought everyone must've known. I figured Five would've told everyone after he found out."

"Known what? What are you talking about?"

Dave sighed before settling himself in to explain the long story of how he and Klaus came to be.

"You've never heard anything about me before because Klaus was teleported to 1968. We met in the Au Shau Valley in Vietnam. We soldiered together for just shy of eleven months." He smiled fondly thinking back on the first time he laid his eyes on Klaus.

"Admittedly, our first encounter was strange, to say the least. I was laying in bed and suddenly this bright blue flash lit up the tent, for a split second I thought a bolt of lightning struck near the foot of my bed. I shot up and there, laying on the ground wearing only a towel and a tattered bathrobe was Klaus. He was covered in blood and looked about as confused as I'd imagine I did." He laughed at the memory.

"Vietnam? Wait, how did he teleport there? This doesn't make sense." Diego slumped back in his chair but was watching Dave intently. This story certainly peaked his interest.

"Well, I didn't know he teleported there. Never knew he wasn't from my time, actually, until right before we came here." He paused remembering that day. How scared, and desperate he was in that moment.

"We were friends immediately, he and I. As soon as I saw him I felt this strong connection. I don't know how to explain it, but as the days turned into weeks that connection just grew stronger and we gravitated closer to one another. It wasn't until we got to go on leave nearly a month after he appeared that we got to explore our feeling further. We danced, and drank together. Then, once I finally had enough liquid courage in my system and the moment was right, and we found the perfect hidden spot away from the unwanted attention from our fellow soldiers, I finally mustered enough courage to kiss him. I swear, in that moment I saw fireworks." He smiled fondly at Klaus and rested his lips to his curls as he kissed his head. Klaus smiled against Dave's chest in his sleep.

"From that moment on we were never apart. When we weren't out on the field in battle, we would spend any downtime just talking. He told me about all of you, you know. He was proud to tell me all about his siblings. Said that none of you were related by blood, you'd been adopted and raised by some crazy bastard that Klaus wasn't very fond of. But, he said he was happy to have had all of you. Said he never quite enjoyed his childhood as a whole, but that his siblings were the one thing he could always look back on fondly and smile about. He loves you, you know? Each of you."

Diego's lips curled up into a sad smile. He loved Klaus, too. Sure, they'd had their arguments. Truth be told, he wasn't even sure why he'd been angry with him the last few days. Hearing Dave say this to him just made Diego feel guilt. He and the rest of their siblings had treated Klaus so poorly, when all he'd ever wanted was to be appreciated and included.

"I've treated him like shit, we all have. But, we are siblings and we fight. That doesn't mean I don't love him, too." Dave smiled at Diego in understanding.

"Hey, you're here now. Both of us are incredibly grateful. He needed this." Klaus groaned in his sleep as he shifted again, clutching the blankets at Dave's waist.

Diego looked to his brother sorrowfully. He just looked so pitiful, he couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He was glad he was here now for his brothers sake. He looked back to Dave. He wanted more juicy details from this story.

"Vietnam? Wait, did Klaus actually fight—In a war?" His eyebrows raised as his lips slightly parted in a crooked smile. Dave laughed as he continued to run his fingers through Klaus's curls.

"Boy, did he! He wasn't fond of the guns at first. Took him a few months to adjust. All of us found that odd. Who comes to war and doesn't know how to use their weapon? But, I worked with him, taught him the ins and outs of his rifle. He was a better shot than me by the time we left. I know it was a war, but, we had some amazing times out there." Both boys laughed.

"Why'd you leave?" Diego asked.

Dave frowned, casting his gaze to look down to Klaus.

"We..we got the word that our unit was being sent to the front lines. Everyone knows that it's kill or be killed out there. But, Klaus was only nine days into sobriety—and he was just so sick. He couldn't even stand on his own two feet, he wouldn't have been able to fight. It's a war though, you can't just call off, or take a sick day. I—I couldn't bare the thought of losing him. He wouldn't have made it. I know he wouldn't have, he knew he wouldn't have." He paused as Klaus coughed in his sleep. He rubbed his back to soothe him until he settled down once more.

"He was prepared to die. I couldn't let that happen. I would have thrown myself in front of any bullet for him. I couldn't bare the thought of losing him. But then, he told me he wasn't supposed to be there. That he was born in the year 1989, and was brought here by some magical briefcase from the year 2019. I didn't want to believe him at first, it just sounded so crazy, I thought it was his fever talking. But his eyes were so focused, and he was just so scared. And he's never lied to me before. So, I believed him. And then we ended up here, and I'm just so thankful I didn't turn his outlandish request down."

The three sat in silence for a few moments.

"You really love him, don't you?" Diego finally asked as he smiled warmly at Dave.

Dave kissed Klaus's forehead as he cupped his cheek, delicately brushing his thumb over his warm skin before looking into Diego's eyes and smiling.

"I do. More than anyone else in this world. He's..he's all that I've got."

"Your family, are they still back in 1968?" Dave shook his head.

"No. My mom abandoned my family when I was eleven. Found herself some new man and went across the country for him. Never spoke to any of us again." He paused as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"My dad and sister, they, uh. They died when I was eighteen. They were on their way to say goodbye to me before I left for deployment. They never made it, though." Diego's face fell.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Thank you. It's been eleven years, but it still hurts like it was yesterday. I have a cousin and a niece back home. But it'd been years since I'd seen them. They'll be fine without me, though. I don't need to worry about them." Klaus shifted again bringing his hand up to Dave's shoulder as he clutched onto his shirt.

"Klaus came into my life and instantly became my entire world." He grabbed ahold of Klaus's hand, pulling it to his lips as he softly kissed his knuckles.

"I can't remember what my life was like before him. I couldn't imagine what my life would be like without him."

—-

"I'm sorry, I just—I-I don't understand."

After nearly another hour passed by, the doctor finally returned to Klaus's room with the results of what was ailing him.

Understandably, none of the three boys were handling the news well.

"I do apologize, I know this is a lot of information to take in right now. Cancer is an incredibly scary word, but it's an even more frightening diagnosis. I'm hopeful though—It's a miracle we were able to catch it so soon. Typically, with pancreatic cancer, you don't find it until it's already in the later stages, and by that point it's already too late. Klaus's cancer is only in the second stage. Its merely by sheer luck that he quit drugs and started having adverse symptoms. It's a good thing you trusted your gut, Dave. Had Klaus waited even just a few more weeks to be checked, this could have been a much grimmer outcome." Dave was staring at the doctor, listening to him speak. His eyes blown wide in shock and fear.

Klaus has cancer?

_No, this can't be true!_

Diego immediately left the room when the doctor revealed his brothers diagnosis. He was angry and frustrated that this was happening to Klaus. He was so worried and scared. It just didn't make any sense!

Klaus was sitting up on the bed staring at the man who just told him he has stage 2 pancreatic cancer. He was chewing the inside of his cheek anxiously, his left hand mindlessly pinching the fabric of the sheet on the bed between his fingers. His right hand was in Dave's lap, being squeezed in a vice like grip by Dave himself.

"If Klaus has..if he has cancer, what are his treatment options? You say we caught it early, does that mean we caught it in time? Will he be okay?" Dave needed to be sure that his beloved would be able to pull through this.

The doctor examined the clipboard in his hands before peering back to Dave and Klaus.

"It was caught in an earlier stage, yes. Pancreatic cancer is difficult, usually the symptoms don't start to show up until the later stages, once it's already spread to other organs and become terminal. Once it's terminal, there is nothing that can be done for the patient, unfortunately. Klaus, however, has stage 2B pancreatic cancer. Which means it is just teetering the line to becoming stage 3. We found cancer cells on two of his lymph nodes. It has not, however, spread to any major blood vessels, which is good news."

"It's already spread to his lymph nodes? Does that mean it's progressing?" Dave's grip tightened in Klaus's hand, he couldn't believe this was happening.

"No, no. It's just the stage it's progressed to thus far. If it were to spread to his blood vessels, then the cancer would have a higher chance of spreading throughout his body to Klaus's major organs, such as his liver or his kidneys. Once that happens, the spread to his blood vessels, it would mean it progressed into stage three. I'm hopeful we can prevent that from happening, _if_ we start him on chemotherapy immediately."

Klaus was in shock. This couldn't be, he doesn't have cancer. The doctor must have the wrong room. He only came here today to make Dave happy about his withdrawal symptoms lasting a bit longer than normal, to assure him that he was fine, that that's all that was wrong. It was just normal withdrawal stuff, nausea and fatigue. He doesn't have cancer!

The room grew uncomfortably quiet as Klaus began to laugh. It started as a slow giggle before it grew to a loud guffaw from deep within his diaphragm. Dave watched him with tear filled eyes, while the doctors face grew sullen.

"Babe.." Dave laid his hand on Klaus's shoulder. It was as though his touch closed the gap in Klaus's emotional bridge as he clung to Dave, his laughter morphing into heart wrenching sobs.

"I..I can't have..it can't be true." Klaus wailed against Dave's chest. Dave clung onto Klaus, pressing his cheek tightly against the crown of his head as he began to sob as well.

"You're going to be okay, babe. I won't let anything happen to you, you're going to pull through this. I know you will. You're going to be okay." They stayed there, pressed tightly in each others embrace as they wept.

Eventually, the overwhelming emotions pulsating through Klaus's already weary frame caused him to fall into unconsciousness. Dave settled down enough to discuss Klaus's treatment options with the doctor.

The doctor informed Dave that he wished to proceed with starting Klaus on oral chemotherapy as soon as possible. He told Dave that the chemo should help shrink the tumors; staunching the spread of the cancer.

He said that if the chemo proved to not be efficient enough within time, they could introduce radiation therapy, as well. However, he told him that would only be if deemed absolutely necessary, as radiation therapy is extremely difficult, causing painful skin irritation and amplified discomfort. He was hopeful though, that since they'd caught it so early, they may be able to avoid the radiation altogether.

Dave asked what Klaus's prognosis was—since they'd caught the cancer in the earlier stages, would Klaus survive this?

The doctor informed him that Klaus's cancer was a regional level, meaning stage 2B or nearly stage 3 pancreatic cancer. He informed Dave that, unfortunately, pancreatic cancer is a ruthless disease, one of the most difficult to cure.

He didn't say it was impossible, but the likelihood was low.

"What chance does he have?" Dave needed to know—How much time does Klaus have?

"Klaus has a 12% chance of surviving the first five years after diagnosis. I know that sounds grim, but it is simply based on numbers, and calculations, and is not set in stone. Treatments are constantly evolving and improving. Unfortunately, only time will tell. There is no set time in the number game of life. It's all in the roll of the dice."

—-

**Authors Note-** _Ah! Of course everyone already knew what was to come (the cancer diagnosis) but it never gets easier to write it! Poor Klaus! I hope you all will continue to read and enjoy this story!_

**If you enjoy, please leave a comment and let me know how you felt! I appreciate all of your lovely kind words!**

_Thank you everyone who has commented, favorited and followed this story thus far! I hope you'll continue to read and enjoy it! Even though it's the same illness, the journey this time around is very different for sweet Klaus! I'm nearly done writing chapter 17/20 so this story is winding down on my end and you guys are in for a ride!_

**fangirl2035**\- _Aw yay! Thank you I'm glad their cuteness is showing through! Haha and DUDE I fangirled hardcore and squealed, not gonna lie. Haha he's precious!_

_Next chapter will be up next Saturday! I hope to see you all then! Thank you again! :)_


	5. Chapter 5

Dave was sitting on Klaus's hospital bed cradling his unconscious frame in his lap. The doctor left some time ago, allowing Klaus to continue resting while he wired a prescription to his pharmacy for the chemotherapy medication.

He told Dave they could stay as long as they needed, but they were free to go whenever they were ready. He instructed Dave to start Klaus on the medication tonight with his dinner; the sooner the better - as Klaus could not afford to put off treatment any longer.

He was sure to prepare Dave for the side effects from the chemotherapy, as they could be quite alarming.

He let him know there would almost certainly be a spike in his nausea, and fatigue, and that he would most likely lose his appetite. Klaus could not afford to miss out on vital nutrients, however, so he was sure to reiterate to Dave that it was imperative that Klaus continued to eat.

He let Dave know that Klaus could start displaying muscle or joint pain as a result from the chemotherapy. He could form uncomfortable mouth sores, and while it doesn't always occur, he could experience hair loss. He informed him that the medication could cause blurred vision, hearing problems, and even at times could effect his memory or thinking skills. The doctor assured Dave that while any of these symptoms were a possibility, there was no guarantee that he would experience any at all and reminded him to try to keep a positive outlook - they were aware of the diagnosis, and whether symptomatic or not, at least they were able to treat him accordingly in a timely fashion.

He informed Dave how vitally necessary it was to make sure they brought Klaus back to the hospital weekly for his blood to be drawn in order to check his white and red blood cell count, as a drop or a spike in either could pose to be quite problematic for Klaus's overall health.

Dave gently traced his fingers up and down Klaus's back trying to comfort him as much as possible. It broke his heart to look at his boyfriend. Even now, as he laid asleep in his lap, his face just looked so hopeless.

There was a soft knock on the door as it opened and Diego entered into the room. He looked sheepishly at Dave, before he looked away, tilting his gaze in a display of shame to the tiles at his feet.

"I..I'm sorry I left like that, I just...I just needed some fresh air." Dave looked to Diego with a sad expression. He understood, this was incredibly difficult for all of them. Dave returned his gaze to the bundle of despair resting in his lap while he continued to comb his fingers through Klaus's hair.

"Hey, no worries, I understand."

"How is he..h-handling all of this?" Diego asked. He stepped closer to the bed to take in his brothers appearance, frowning at the dried tears on his cheeks. Dave sighed as he ran his free hand through his own tousled curls.

"About as well as you could imagine. Not very well at all." A tear slipped down his cheek as he wiped at his eyes before looking into Diego's gaze.

"It's not good, Diego." Dave's lip began to tremble.

"His prognosis is not good. I don't even know what to do, I feel so lost. I can't help him, and that scares me. I can't..I can't lose him, Diego. I just can't!" Dave shook his head back and forth before pressing his chin to his chest. He screwed his eyes shut and positioned his trembling hand over his mouth to stifle his sobs.

He was just so heartbroken.

Klaus didn't deserve this! He was a good person who would do anything for anyone, he didn't deserve this pain!

He didn't deserve to die...

"Hey, shh, it's okay," Diego bridged the gap between himself and Dave, laying a grounding grip on his shoulder.

"I know my brother Klaus, he's a lot tougher than he looks. If anyone can fight this thing, he can. Just, don't give up on him, alright? He needs you." Dave could only nod in response to Diego's words, he was too heartbroken to form a sentence in this moment.

All he could focus on was the fact that his beautiful, perfect boyfriend - the literal love of his life had cancer and could be dying.

And that broke his heart...

Klaus coughed in his sleep, his body going rigid before he finally began to stir. He groaned, pinching his eyes tightly together before they fluttered open. He looked up to Dave, then to Diego at his side.

"I..I thought that I was dreaming, but...if I'm still here in the hospital, I guess not." He closed his eyes again, clenching his fists into Dave's shirt. He only wished he had been dreaming; experiencing some terrible nightmare.

Sadly his reality was the nightmare...

Klaus pressed his face against Dave's chest as his shoulders began to shake, a sob bursting through his lips. The sight of Klaus weeping shattered Dave and Diego's souls. He deserved so much better than this. Diego instantly pressed his hand against his brothers back, rubbing it gently and reassuringly which only seemed to cause Klaus to cry harder at the touch.

"Hey, it's going to be okay, you hear me? You are going to be okay!" Diego leaned down above Klaus, gently taking a hold of his shoulders.

"Look at me, Klaus." Klaus shuddered as he gasped for a breath. He didn't want to look at his brother right now. He wanted to go back to before all of this, to before he knew he had cancer!

"Come on, look at me." Reluctantly, Klaus adjusted himself, tearing his face away from Dave's chest so he was facing Diego, he sniffled as his lips continued to quiver. Diego looked deep into his brothers sorrowful eyes. He wiped at his tears, cupping his flushed face into his strong hands.

"You will pull through this, Klaus. You hear me? We won't let anything happen to you. I need you to know that." Diego spoke with authority.

Klaus's chest ached. The uncertainty surrounding his situation was terrifying. Would he be able to pull through? Would be truly be okay?

He didn't know, and neither did Diego or Dave. So why say something if you couldn't guarantee It?

"I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry for how I've treated you, I'm sorry for everything. But, I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere, alright?" A tear slipped down Diego's cheek as he apologized to his ill brother. He needed to be there for him, he needed to support him and build him up, not tear him down like he'd done his entire life. He needed to mend his mistakes with his brother.

"I fucking love you, and Dave here, he loves you, and we will stop at absolutely nothing to ensure you will be alright, understood?" Klaus wrenched his eyes shut as another sob tore through his lips. He was thankful for Diego's words and reassurances. He hadn't even realized how badly he needed his brothers support until this moment.

"Good, I won't let anything happen to you. Dave and I are going to be here for you every step of the way, okay? You don't have to go through this alone." Klaus could only nod in understanding. He was so scared and didn't know if he could believe his brothers words, but they comforted him regardless. Diego shifted his feet before letting out a breathy sigh, dragging his fingers anxiously through his short raven hair.

"Klaus, we need to tell the others about this. They need to know." Klaus shook his head before wrapping himself impossibly closer against Dave's touch.

"No! They don't need to know anything. Why bother, they won't give a damn anyways. I'd just be giving them what they've always wanted. They'll be happy to know they may finally be rid of me. I'm sure they'll be thrilled!"

Dave and Diego both went rigid at his words.

"Don't you ever say that, Klaus! The last thing anyone wants is to lose you! We can't..we won't, do you understand me?" Klaus just covered his mouth as he continued to sob.

How could they be so sure?

Dave grasped onto him, pulling him tighter against his chest. He buried his lips into his curls, breathing him in as his own tears trailed down his cheeks. He needed to hold him in this moment, needed to feel his presence within his arms. Needed to comfort him as best as he possibly could.

"We need to tell them Klaus. You are going to need the full force of the academy to get you through this. We will all work together to save you, understand? But, we need to let them know first." Diego addressed firmly, he needed Klaus to understand how crucial it was that their family know the truth.

Klaus groaned, nuzzling further into Dave's embrace before he finally answered his brother.

"Okay, fine, we can tell them."

—-

The three boys left the hospital after they each composed themselves the best that they could. They piled into Diego's car, seated in the same fashion as they were earlier that morning. Klaus was resting against Dave's shoulder, his eyes were closed. He wasn't asleep, his mind was too busy mulling over everything that transpired that day. He still couldn't believe this was happening to him.

Cancer, really?

Pancreatic cancer, no less?

He couldn't help but feel terrified. Klaus knew the odds, he knew they weren't in his favor. He knew the likelihood of him actually pulling through and surviving his predicament was slim to none. The most saddening part about this whole situation though, to Klaus, however, wasn't the fact that he knew he would likely be dying.

He was most upset that his death would mean he would inevitably be losing Dave.

Of course, he finally found someone who actually understood him, fully accepted him for all of his quirks, and faults, and loved him regardless.

Dave, who genuinely gave a damn, more than a damn, about Klaus. Pushed him to constantly strive to better himself. He'd longed for someone to care as tenderly about him as Dave had.

So, of course, once he finally snagged himself his perfect catch, his honest to goodness soul mate—he got diagnosed with cancer, and could already feel the dread of loss.

Not loss of his own life, mind you, but loss of needing to say goodbye to Dave.

It wasn't fair.

Then again, nothing in Klaus's life had ever been fair.

They stopped by the pharmacy to pick up Klaus's chemotherapy medication on the way back to the academy. Klaus currently held the bottle of pills in his hand, studying the label. He was reading the directions, he figured he may as well familiarize himself with his new friend.

He learned he was supposed to take the medication once every three days by mouth, and that it had to be taken at the same time every time with food. It listed side effects he could experience, which he briefly glanced over.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to know this was going to fucking suck.

He leaned his dizzy noggin back against the head rest and closed his eyes, swallowing thickly.

Just knowing he was holding chemotherapy medication in his hands; _his_ chemotherapy medication in his hands, made him feel queasy.

Dave eyed him sadly before taking the bottle from Klaus, reading the directions himself.

"We need to make sure to follow the directions, babe. No skipping or doubling up on doses, and it needs to be taken at the same time each day, okay?" Klaus hummed in acknowledgment.

When they arrived back at the academy, Diego quickly dispersed to rally their siblings for a family meeting. They didn't need to waste any time here. Klaus needed everyone on board, he needed his family's support.

Klaus and Dave sat in the living room on the couch as they waited for Diego to return with the rest of his family. Dave held Klaus tightly against his side, his loves head rested on his shoulder. Dave intertwined his fingers within Klaus's, comfortingly rubbing circles against his delicate skin.

Klaus was struggling to stay awake, this entire situation left him completely physically and emotionally drained. He honestly didn't even want to participate in the meeting, he just wanted to crawl upstairs and sleep this dread off for a few days. He wished he could avoid this entire scenario, unfortunately, he knew he couldn't.

Diego returned to the living room taking a seat beside Klaus. He laid his hand on his knee reassuringly.

"They're all on their way down now. Don't worry, Dave and I are here for you. If you want, I'll do all of the talking." Klaus shot his brother a tired, yet thankful smile and nodded before coughing into his trembling hand.

"Thanks, Di. Let's just get this over with."

The siblings all filed into the living room, arranging themselves wherever they could within the giant space. Luther instantly looked at Klaus with a distasteful glance before sitting in a chair across the room from him.

"This better be important, Diego." Five huffed as he entered before sitting atop the coffee table in the center of the room.

All of the siblings eyes were on Diego, waiting for him to speak.

"Quiet, Five. This is important, it's about Klaus." Five and Luther both scoffed.

"So, in other words, it's not important. I just said not to waste my time, yet here we are."

Klaus laughed humorlessly before sitting forward on the couch.

"You know what, you're right, it's not important. I'm just gonna go." He swayed dizzily as he stood, but Diego and Dave both grabbed a hold of him, easing him back down onto the couch. Diego laid his hand on Klaus's shoulder to steady him as Dave turned his attention to the others in the room.

"How dare you! Mad or not, you all are family and ought to be there to support one another! Can't you see Klaus is sick? He has been for weeks, and not one of you has even attempted to check up on him and see how he was feeling—not even once!" Klaus wrapped his hands around Dave's forearm trying to calm him down, but Dave was pissed.

"You just keep saying how he's a waste of your time, you are truly terrible people! Never in my life have I ever seen someone treat anyone so poorly, and I fought in a goddamn war! Klaus is fucking sick, really sick, instead of mistreating him, you ought to hold your judgmental tongues, and offer your support for your brother!"

Five scoffed. He shifted his position on the coffee table so he was sitting forward, hands pressed against his thighs. His eyes were set in a stern scowl.

"It's just withdrawals. Why waste precious oxygen to ask how he is, when we already know the answer. Sick one day, back on drugs the next. It's the same vicious cycle he's repeated countless times."

Diego was livid: At his family, and at himself.

He knew what Five was saying was true, well, used to be, anyways. But, it wasn't now, not anymore, and he was wasting Klaus's time.

Their brother needed their help and support, not this bullshit.

"This is not just withdrawals!" Diego snapped.

The siblings all looked around the room at one another, confusion on each of their features when Luther finally spoke.

"What is it then, the flu? Or wait, let me guess, he's already back on drugs, isn't he? Why should be care?" Klaus sunk deeper into the couch, the painful realization of just how little his siblings trust him, or even care about him finally sinking in.

His eyebrows furrowed as his eyes pinched shut, his sadness clearly displayed on his features. He turned his head away from his siblings direction, not wanting to let them see how much their words truly upset him; he wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing him so upset by their actions.

Dave couldn't believe this. He immediately shot up, standing in front of everyone in the room.

"HE HAS FUCKING CANCER!" He finally shouted. He couldn't hold his tongue any longer.

The room grew silent as everyone absorbed and attempted to register the words that just erupted from Dave's lips. The words were dense, thick, like sludge filling the crevices in their brains, halting and slowing their thoughts.

"Klaus has fucking cancer, and you don't even care! Couldn't be bothered to give a damn about him, why start now, when he could really use his family's support, right? You're unbelievable, you know that? Selfish, all of you!" Dave's voice wavered as tears began to pour down his face. Klaus instinctively leaned himself forward, wrapping his arms around Dave's waist to desperately try to comfort him.

"It's okay, babe. Please, let's just go, I'm tired." He whispered softly, resting his dizzy head against Dave's back, his own tears soaking into his love's shirt. He just wanted this to be over.

Dave gently grabbed ahold of Klaus's hands, before turning to face him. He helped him stand, pulling his body against his own. He hugged his boyfriend before pressing his lips against his forehead. Dave pulled away, cupping Klaus's cheeks into his hands as he looked deep into his shining emerald green eyes. The fear behind Klaus's irises was enough to shatter his heart.

"I'm so sorry, babe." Dave's lips trembled as he spoke. He felt so awful for Klaus. He didn't deserve the hand he'd been dealt. Klaus smiled sadly at Dave before wrapping his tired limbs around his shoulders, entangling his fingers into the curls at the base of his neck, cooing to his love to calm him.

"It's okay, I'm used to this. Let's just go, okay?" Dave pressed their foreheads together, their noses touching.

"Let's get you upstairs, yeah?" Klaus let out a breathy 'yeah' in response, as he smiled sadly with a nod, another tear rolled down his cheek.

He was so ready to leave this room, to leave his siblings judgmental stares and uncaring words behind him. Dave wrapped his arm around Klaus's back, guiding him towards the staircase. It was as though them leaving the room paved a trail, cleansing the sludge from the siblings thoughts. Luther stood, stomping towards Dave and Klaus to stop them.

"Wait, we need to talk about this—" Diego stepped in front of Luther's path, placing his hand firmly on his chest to stop his brother in his tracks.

"Let them go, Luther. Klaus needs to rest. Whatever you need to say, you can say it to me."

—-

Klaus's energy was gone by the time they reached the top of the stairs. Dave felt him begin to slump against him and tightened his grip on his waist, scooping beneath his wobbly knees. He lifted his frail boyfriend into his arms before he got the chance to fall. Klaus's form was shaking from exhaustion, his eyes hooded into a downcast sodden gaze. Dave nuzzled against his cheek, wiping away his tears with his own flesh. Klaus sniffled, curling his fingers into the collar of Dave's shirt, trying to absorb as much comfort from him as he could.

He was just so upset, so heartbroken. He couldn't understand why this had to be happening to him.

Dave quickly carried Klaus into the bedroom, gently laying his weary form down onto the mattress. Klaus positioned himself so he was facing his wall, his back to Dave.

He was simply too upset to look at him right now. He curled his knees up against his stomach, clutching the blanket to his mouth as he let out a muffled sob.

It was killing Dave to see Klaus like this; so broken, so upset, so sick.

He wanted nothing more than to save Klaus from this, take away his fears, and somehow rescue him from this illness. He felt so helpless knowing that he may not be able to.

He laid himself on the bed beside his love, pressing his body against Klaus's, his form perfectly filling any gap between them. He laid his palm against Klaus's shoulder, rubbing soothing circles before pressing his lips against the exposed skin there. Klaus coughed, the motion jarring, he leaned away from Dave, doubling over himself until the fit eventually passed. Dave's arms wrapped around him and pulled him tighter against his chest.

Klaus allowed himself to melt into Dave's embrace, finally shifting so that they were facing one another, their legs intertwining together.

Klaus buried his face into his boyfriends broad chest, breathing in his scent, while Dave pressed his lips to Klaus's forehead in a delicate yet reassuring kiss.

He just wanted to lay here with his love, savor every moment with him.

This wasn't fair...

They escaped a war zone, stopped the apocalypse, certainly they deserved a moment to relax and celebrate. Instead, they were faced with the fear of still potentially needing to say goodbye to one another.

Dave wasn't ready for that, he never wanted to let go. He'd never found anyone in his life who made him so overwhelmingly happy. Who sparked so much joy, laughter and an unfathomable amount of love. He didn't want to lose that, he couldn't lose that.

He couldn't lose Klaus...

He draped his arm around Klaus's waist, his skin warm against his fingertips. Klaus sniffled back a tear before pressing deeper into Dave's embrace.

"I'm so scared, Dave." He shakily inhaled a breath, trying to contain his emotions, trying to hold back his tears. Dave brought his hand to Klaus's face, his thumb smoothing over his cheek to wipe away his sorrows.

"Shh..you're going to be okay, you hear me? We will figure this out." Klaus closed his eyes, his lip quivering.

He knew that they couldn't be certain, that there were no guarantees, but he allowed Dave's words to comfort him, anyways.

Even if that was all they were—Just words to soothe his heartache; false promises of hope.

He just prayed Dave's words would prove to be true...

"I'm tired." He finally whispered softly. Dave kissed his forehead again before resting his cheek against his head.

"Rest then, okay? When it's closer to dinner, I'll wake you." Klaus could only nod before his exhaustion took over, forcing him into a deep, yet unrestful sleep.

Dave allowed him to rest for a while, his bodies tensed muscles finally relaxing the way they deserved.

After nearly two hours had passed, Klaus's alarm clock displayed the time as 4:37PM, signaling to Dave he should wake Klaus up soon.

He didn't want to have him start his first dose of chemotherapy too late in the evening, as this was the dose to set his schedule for each following dose to come. He figured, he would give Klaus until five to sleep, to ensure he was well rested enough and ready to eat so he could take his medication in a timely manner.

A soft knock on the door alerted Dave, he turned his head to the door just as it opened. Diego entered the room, followed by the rest of Klaus's siblings.

"How is he?" Asked Diego softly, not wanting to wake his slumbering brother.

"He's exhausted." Replied Dave quietly, delicately tucking the blanket closer to Klaus's form, earning him to nuzzle deeper into the warmth.

Allison and Vanya both surrounded the bed, looking at their brother with fear and sadness in their eyes.

Dave never meant to hurt them with his speech, it wasn't directed towards them.

Allison and Vanya both certainly had their hands full with their own issues, namely Allison's injured throat, and Vanya's powers she was trying to learn control over. They may not have checked in on Klaus, but, even still, they never turned their cheek to him, or spoke down to him, either. They simply were preoccupied with their own lives, which Dave understood.

Luther and Five on the other hand had royally fucked up with Klaus, as far as he was concerned. So, when both of them stepped towards the bed, Dave stiffened and shot them a warning glance.

"Look, Dave, we were wrong, okay? We are sorry—" Began Luther, only for Dave to stop him before he could get any further.

"Sorry? You treated him like shit, said his problems were of no concern to you. Said he was wasting your time. Oh, so what, you suddenly care now? Why, because he has cancer, and you feel obligated to?" Klaus coughed in his sleep, causing Dave to lower his tone.

"Spare me some bullshit speech, I don't care to hear it. It's not me you need to be apologizing to, anyways—it's Klaus. He is the one who was hurt by you and your terrible words. He is the one who has sat back and allowed you all to treat him like shit his entire life. He is the one who has suffered through all of your mental abuse over the years. You know the saddest part, Luther? When I met Klaus, and he told me about his family, all he would ever talk about was how much he loved you. How proud he was of you, how much he wished he could be more like each of you." He laughed coldly before continuing.

"I gotta say though, I don't see why. So far all you've shown me is how cruel you are towards him. But Klaus.." He trailed off to wipe at his own tears.

"Klaus is this beautiful, kind, and nurturing soul who goes out of his way to make everyone happy. He has this effervescence about him, he lights up the room wherever he goes. Back in 'Nam, we had a few soldiers who were young, barely old enough to be there and far too young to see the shit that they saw. They would cry, missing their families, their loved ones. They feared for their own lives. But, all it took was Klaus to catch wind of their sorrows, and he would instantly lift their spirits up, poke fun at them, just to get them to smile or laugh. The boys used to call him Chuck, short for chuckles, because that's what he would make you do anytime you were in his presence." Vanya and Allison's lips quivered at Dave's kind words about their ailing brother.

"That's just who he is. He is nothing short of amazing, why he would want to be more like the likes of any of you is beyond me." Luther and Fives eyes filled with tears. Five stepped forward, looking deep into Dave's angered eyes.

"I'm not defending our actions, we were wrong, we know that now. But, we are siblings and siblings fight. We were cruel, we took things too far, way too far. But, we realize our actions were wrong, and we want to make things right between ourselves and our brother. He.." Five trailed off as he closed his eyes, his lips beginning to tremble. Luther laid his hand on Five's shoulder to comfort him before picking up where he left off.

"He needs all the help and support he can get right now. We are here to step up, be there for Klaus the way he's always deserved. We were awful to him, but, that never meant we didn't love him. We want to do everything we can for him, show him our support, if you will you let us?" Dave looked to his love's siblings with watery eyes.

"I'm not the one you need to ask." He stated simply.

Klaus's fists tightened in Dave's shirt as a sob suddenly tore through his lips. Unknowingly to his siblings, he'd been awake and listening the entire time.

Luther's eyes filled with tears as he took in his brothers appearance, he wasn't sure if Klaus's tears were from fear, or from the pain Luther's words and actions brought him. He took a step forward, raising his arm up towards his sibling.

Klaus tore himself away from Dave's embrace before peering to his family, his eyes meeting Luther's first. Klaus's eyes were neon pools of sorrow, tears of despair readily trailing down his fever flushed cheeks. Luther nearly broke at the sight of him, but he couldn't, he needed to stay strong, be number one, and take care of his brother.

"Klaus, I'm so sorry, I—" Klaus held up a shaky hand to stop his brother from speaking any longer. His arm was trembling as he struggled to take in a breath. He gazed into Luther's eyes before bringing both of his arms forward, begging his brother to come to him. He needed to hold him, he needed to be held by him. He needed his siblings support.

Tears slipped over Luther's cheekbones as he took a huge lumbering step towards his brother, kneeling at his side and wrapping him in a gentle, yet strong embrace. Klaus buried his face into Luther's shoulder, more sobs escaping his lips, as Five and the rest of his siblings joined. Multiple sets of limbs entangled themselves around Klaus's weary form.

"I..I could really use your support right now, guys. I really could. I'm so...so scared, I—" Diego cooed to him soothingly, draping his hand around the back of his neck before pressing his forehead to the top of Klaus's head.

"We've been over this, you're going to be okay, understand me? We..w-w-we're all here now, and we won't let anything happen to you."

Klaus pulled his tear stained face away from Luther's now soggy shoulder before gazing into his brothers steady gaze.

"Promise?" He whispered softly, Luther pulled away from Klaus, taking his cheeks into his hands to peer deep into his terrified eyes.

"We promise, Klaus. We won't let anything happen to you, not if we can help it." Klaus closed his eyes, and nodded before laying his head back against Luther's shoulder. The siblings all stayed like that for some time, relishing this circle of support. Klaus needed this, they all did.

Dave let them stay like that, allowed them to cherish this moment for as long as they could. He knew he would eventually need to interrupt, however, as it was nearly 5:00PM.

"I'm so happy that you're all here for Klaus now, he really needed this. Thank you, really. I'm so grateful." He smiled to each sibling circled around his love. He truly did appreciate it, he only wished it hadn't taken them finding out that Klaus had cancer for them to finally rally around him with support.

"He really needs to eat something. He's gotta take his first round of chemo..." The siblings all straightened, finally releasing Klaus from their grasp. Klaus melted back onto the bed, laying himself down heavily against Dave's lap.

Five stepped forward towards Dave, raising his hand to his brow in a salute.

"On it!" Before he disappeared in a blue flash. Dave turned his attention to Klaus, rubbing his fingers through his hair before smoothing his curls out of his eyes.

"Babe, you need to sit up, it's time for dinner and to take your meds." Klaus groaned before shakily sitting up. He blinked his eyes rapidly to stop the room from spinning while Dave rested his palm in the small of his back to steady him.

Klaus leaned into Dave, resting his groggy head on his shoulder. Dave took a hold of his hand, intertwining their fingers together.

Klaus groaned, draping his free hand over his stomach.

"M'not hungry, babe." He pinched his eyes shut to calm the tilt-a-whirl of his vision. He was always so dizzy. Five reappeared with a slice of toast and a bottle of water.

"Here, Klaus. Is this going to be okay?" Dave took the plate from Five and nodded.

"It's perfect, thank you." He rested the plate in his lap before laying his palm on Klaus's face, cupping his cheek to better view his beautiful eyes.

"I know you aren't hungry baby, but you need to eat. This is important. Just, eat what you can, okay?"

"Can't I sleep just a little while longer?" Klaus closed his eyes again, his body relaxing against Dave, but Dave's steady grip and gentle hands kept him upright, he knew he wouldn't be able to avoid this.

"Klaus, no, if you sleep too much longer it will be too late. Just, eat a few bites, take the medication, and then you can rest all night if you want, deal?" Klaus groaned as he screwed his eyes tightly shut. He wasn't hungry, but even more-so, he didn't want to take the chemo.

After he popped that first pill it would just solidify his diagnosis, make it all the more real to him. He would rather live obliviously, pretend he was fine, and that this was in fact, just withdrawals.

Taking the pills would tarnish that dream; breaking the mold, and allowing his terrible reality to flood in, trapping him under its weight and suffocating him. He wasn't ready to accept the truth of his reality.

But, he knew if he didn't take the chemo, the real reality would be his life would inevitably come to an end, and much sooner. So he knew he had to suck it up and swallow his pride, along with the little blue and white pill.

Klaus sat up more, pressing his back into his headboard. He nodded his head before reaching his hand out for the toast, which Dave handed to him immediately. Klaus pulled the toast to his lips, hesitating before finally sinking his teeth into a corner and tearing off a bite. He chewed it; slowly, begrudgingly, before finally swallowing. To him it felt like swallowing a handful of sand, anything but appetizing, but he proceeded to take another bite, anyways. Klaus finished half of the toast before his stomach decided it was full, he couldn't possibly take another bite. His appetite had already dwindled down to practically nothing before his diagnosis.

Truthfully, he was worried how his stomach would react once adding chemotherapy into his equation. Dave noticed how Klaus's face twisted, he knew he couldn't eat another bite, so he took the remainder of the toast from Klaus and laid it back on the plate. Five quickly took it from him, exchanging it for the bottled water instead. Dave smiled at him in thanks.

"Luther, there's a bottle of pills on the desk beside you, will you hand it to me, please?" Dave asked as he opened the bottled water and handed it to Klaus, who shakily took it before taking three large gulps. Luther nodded, grabbing the bottle and brought it to Dave, who thanked him before reading the directions once more. He just needed to be sure he did this right. He opened the bottle, tilting one pill out onto his palm before replacing the cap back onto the small container.

Luther took the bottle back, setting it where he found it on the desk. Dave shifted in the bed, positioning himself closer to Klaus. He ran his fingers through his curls, before gently trailing them down his neck. Klaus shivered at the touch. Dave's palm rested at the nape of his neck, his fingers entangling in the curls there as he pressed his forehead to Klaus's.

Klaus closed his eyes relishing Dave's touch, his presence, his comfort.

Dave kissed Klaus's lips, then his forehead, his lips lingering there until he finally pulled away.

"Ready?" Klaus looked into his eyes for a long moment.

Was he ready?

Would he ever truly be ready?

No, he wasn't, and he didn't know that he ever would be. But, he was willing, for Dave, which was good enough for him.

"I'm ready." Klaus finally whispered while Dave handed him his first chemotherapy pill.

He held it up to the light, examining it in his fingers for a moment. Something about holding a pill felt so familiar, almost comforting. Maybe, if he closed his eyes, he could pretend it was another pill, anything other than what it truly was. Klaus closed his eyes and popped the pill into his mouth, swallowing it dry.

The sensation brought back so many memories of his past; memories that he missed, and yet wanted to forget. He wanted to get passed his drug use, but now he was using again.

This was so much different, though, he knew that. But he felt guilty over it all the same.

He chased the pill down with a few large gulps of water before easing himself back down onto the bed, snuggling himself against Dave's warm embrace once more.

He was ready to sleep, to slip into a different reality, one that wasn't his own. He only hoped he could sleep through the night, and that the side effects wouldn't take him too quickly.

He just wanted to rest...


	6. Chapter 6

The first night Klaus started his chemo it didn't take very long for the side effects to rear their ugly head. Unfortunately, Klaus had only fallen asleep for no more than an hour or two before his stomach twisted into uncomfortable knots; nausea and pain taking a hold of him with a vice-like grip. He whimpered in his sleep, waking up and panting heavily to try to fight the nauseous feeling back, but it was just so much stronger than he was.

Dave was still beside him; he couldn't leave his love alone knowing this may happen. He needed to stay there to support him throughout this. He noticed when Klaus awoke in his obvious discomfort and wasted no time in helping to ease him out of the bed, ushering him into the bathroom where Klaus promptly heaved painfully into the toilet.

Klaus had already been sick for weeks; not to mention, he'd certainly had his fair share of sickly nights of vomiting countless amounts of times in his lifetime—from detoxing, or even overdosing, but he swore he'd never felt so goddamn sick in his life up until this point.

_This hurt so fucking badly..._

His stomach cramped and screamed in protest; forcing vomit and bile out of his throat like a geyser. This horrible feeling was unrelenting; even when there was nothing left in his stomach to force up, his body continued to try to expel something, anything, but nothing would come. There was simply nothing left.

He heaved and gagged on nothing for literally hours with seemingly no end in sight. It was exhausting, his entire body would shake from enervation and exertion. He would cry; beg to no one in particular to just please, make it stop, he just wanted to rest. Yet, the horrible feeling wouldn't pass.

That first night kept him up like that, heaving until his throat was raw. Eventually, the sun started to peak through the small window in his bathroom. Then, and only then, did it finally seem to recede enough to allow him to collapse into oblivion.

Dave stayed by his side the entire time; rubbing his back, talking him through his pain, doing anything he could to take Klaus's mind off of his nausea and discomfort. He wished he could switch places with Klaus; he wished he could be the one who was sick, and have Klaus be the one doing the comforting.

_Klaus was always so much better at this than Dave was..._

It was killing Dave to see Klaus like this. He was so exhausted, he'd never seen him so sick, ever. It was a frightening sight to see; watching your love suffer for nearly eleven hours straight, with no true break in-between to rest, or even catch a breath between the gagging and retching. Dave had never perceived anything like this, he felt so awful for his love.

He himself was so exhausted; he knew Klaus must really be suffering from this. He felt his entire being flood with relief when Klaus finally pried himself from his cemented state against the toilet, before leaning himself against Dave's chest. Nearly instantaneously what small ounce of energy he had left deserted him; allowing him to finally rest. Dave scooped his love's unconscious form into his arms before bringing him back to bed. He only hoped he would be able to sleep this off for a few hours, before he'd get hit with another bout like this again.

Unfortunately, this streak of unimaginable nausea kept attacking Klaus.

He'd fall asleep for another hour or two, before the nauseous feeling would return, leaving him heaving for countless hours once more. This occurred for days; only seeming to finally recede enough for him to ultimately rest for a few extra hours before he'd be forced to take the chemo once more; restarting this entire process over again.

For weeks this kept happening. Dave could see the tole it took on Klaus, he never got any true relief from his discomfort. He was miserable, tired, and so god damn sick all the time. He never had an appetite; forcing him to eat his dinner before his meds was always a gamble. Sometimes it would immediately cause him to vomit before he could even take the chemo pill, but he still at least attempted to hold the food down; if even for just long enough for it to count as a meal.

Klaus had always been a thin person; even when Dave first met him all those months ago he'd been rather skinny, but he wouldn't have ever described him as frail. He had toned, lean muscles - he was just slender. Now, though, Klaus had dropped a fair amount of weight after struggling to hold any food down. He hadn't really noticed it until now - at the three week mark. As Klaus heaved, his ribs and spine protruded from his back. Realizing how badly his nausea was affecting him, Dave knew that Klaus couldn't handle this for much longer. He needed to do something, anything to help Klaus get through this.

Today, Klaus was scheduled for a follow up to draw his bloodwork. Dave decided he was going to ask if there was something they could give him to help alleviate Klaus's nausea. There had to be something to relieve him from this. He honestly feared if there was nothing to be done, the vomiting would kill Klaus faster than the cancer would.

Diego drove them to the hospital for Klaus's appointment before leaving; he was helping Luther with Vanya today, trying to help her better establish her control with her powers. He told them to call when they were ready to be picked up, and he would return strait away.

Klaus was laying in the hospital bed, a vomit bag clutched in his shaky hands. He was leaning heavily into the bed with his eyes closed, taking deep steadying breaths to try to keep his nausea at bay. Dave Hated how pale he looked; it just further exaggerated his sickly appearance. He just wanted Klaus to feel better, he felt so terrible for him. Ben watched his brother from the corner with sad eyes, wishing he could do anything to help him. He hated feeling so useless when his brother needed him so badly.

"Ah, hello again, Klaus. How are you feeling today? Any changes from last week's appointment?" Asked the doctor as he entered the room, closing the door behind him. Klaus simply groaned in response.

"Is there anything he can be prescribed to help with his nausea? It's been extremely difficult on him, and seems to just be getting worse as the weeks progress." Dave asked, tucking a sweat dampened curl behind Klaus's ear.

"Well, we could try to prescribe him an anti nausea medication. It may help relieve his discomfort, at least a little bit. However, they never seem to fully dull the pain." The doctor answered as he ran through Klaus's vitals; checking his blood pressure and temperature. He brought his stethoscope to his chest to listen to his heartbeat and the sound of his lungs.

"Can we try it? It's got to be better than nothing, he's miserable. He spends more hours vomiting or dry heaving than he does sleeping throughout the day or night. I've never seen him so exhausted. I just want him to be comfortable, he deserves a little relief from this."

The doctor nodded in agreement while he prepped the crook of Klaus's elbow for his bloodwork. He wrapped an elastic tourniquet around his arm slightly above the joint, before asking Klaus to squeeze and release his hand to get the blood flowing. The doctor prodded the area, searching for a sufficient enough vein which proved to be quite difficult, as most of Klaus's veins were collapsed and completely shot after his years of drug use.

"Ah, there it is, I knew you had a good one in this arm, I remembered from last time." The doctor cleansed the area above the vein with a rubbing alcohol pad before injecting the needle tip through the thick scar tissue and into the vein. He readied the first of four vials, plugging it into the port and pressing down; filling the container with Klaus's blood. He repeated this until each vial was full.

"Okay, let me take these to the lab, I'll be back with the results as soon as they're ready. I'm going to go ahead and write a prescription for that anti nausea medication. I'll bring you the script with the results. You two just relax, and try to make yourselves comfortable, alright? Just holler if you boys need anything." The two boys nodded as the doctor exited the room.

Klaus groaned, coughing and heaving into the vomit bag. He'd already vomited any contents in his stomach up while they were still at the academy, but the nauseous feeling still persisted, even now.

"Your temperature was good, no fever. That's an improvement from last week, at least." Said Dave, smiling at Klaus as he rested his hand against his knee. Klaus coughed again before nodding, his expression melancholic. Dave's face fell at the lackluster energy his boyfriend possessed.

"My poor love, I'm so sorry this is happening to you. I wish there was something more I could do." Klaus shook his head and peered to Dave.

"Dave, you being here is more than enough, honest. Thank you." He smiled weakly at Dave, bringing his free hand to his, entangling their fingers together. "I love you so much, babe."

Dave smiled lovingly at Klaus, leaning towards him and kissing his chapped lips while Klaus returned the gesture. Dave sat back on his chair by the bed, never releasing Klaus's hand as he ran his thumb soothingly over the soft skin there. Ben watched the couple; he was so glad Klaus had Dave through this. His brother deserved to be loved the way Dave loved him. A sense of pride filled his chest anytime he observed them together, he was exactly what Klaus needed.

"Dave, I just realized your birthday is only a couple of weeks away, what would you like for a present?" Klaus asked, wincing as he adjusted so he was sitting slightly more upright. He needed to talk about something, anything but his cancer. This would be the perfect distraction. Dave smiled sadly at Klaus, a breathy laugh escaping his lips.

"Baby, you know birthday's have never been a big deal to me. I didn't really celebrate them growing up, no need for a present. It's just telling me I'm getting older." Klaus and Ben exchanged a surprised look as they both gasped.

Didn't celebrate? Okay, maybe for Klaus's fucked up family that was normal, but to hear Dave say that was blasphemous!

"Davey, baby, this is your thirtieth birthday! The big three-oh! You need to celebrate! Come on, babe, please?" Klaus jutted his lip out, giving Dave his infamous puppy dog pout. Dave laughed before leaning forward to snag that pout into a kiss.

"Nuh-uh, nope, that won't work here, darlin. Really, I'm good, I don't need anything. I appreciate the thought, though, really. But please, don't worry about that. We can just spend time together that day, that's good enough for me, how's that sound?" Klaus whined as he slumped back against the bed, folding his arms across his chest in a fit.

"Fine." Klaus dragged out the word, raising an unsteady arm and pointing at Dave.

"But, we are snuggling all day then! Capeesh?" Dave smiled and nodded.

"Deal."

They sat like that for a little over an hour together. At some point Klaus vomited into the bag he clutched. Dave disposed of it, before giving him another bag incase he needed it again. Klaus's body shivered from the exhaustion, not to mention the cold air in the room. He always forgot how cold it was in any doctors office, he really wished he'd chosen a warmer outfit.

His black mesh tank top and blue and black sarong did absolutely nothing to keep him warm. Dave dug through a drawer in the room, pulling out a bagged hospital gown. He tore open the bag and draped the gown over Klaus in some attempt to warm him. It wasn't much better, but it was still an improvement from before. Klaus eventually fell asleep, huddled underneath the stiff fabric of the gown, curled into a ball. Dave allowed him to rest, gently running his palm up and down his back to soothe him.

It was a little over thirty minutes later when a soft knock on the door alerted them of their doctor's return. He opened the door, smiling at the two boys before sitting down on his stool, swiveling himself closer to the bed. Klaus inhaled a deep breath, rubbing his eyes as a muffled yawn escaped his lips.

"Ah, good, you got a bit of rest. Your bloodwork looks good, no changes. Your white and red blood cell counts are normal. There's no improvement in the cancer cells, yet. However, that does take time. Here," He ripped the script for the anti nausea medication off the pad in his hands, giving it to Dave. "You two are free to go, I'll see you again next week. If you have any questions or concerns, always feel free to give us a call here at the office, okay?" The boys thanked the doctor. He smiled, patting Klaus's knee before he stood, exiting the room.

Klaus slowly sat up on the bed, dangling his legs over the edge while Ben hovered beside him, instinctively trying to support his brother. Klaus closed his eyes as a quick feeling of nausea passed over him. Dave stood, approaching his side. He laid a steadying hand on Klaus's shoulder, helping him raise to his feet; further delighting Ben who tried to no avail to assist his brother. The three made it out of the room and out into the lobby together. Klaus took a seat in one of the vacant chairs, Ben standing before him to watch over him while Dave used the phone at the reception desk to call Diego.

"He said it may be about an hour until he gets here, want to go get lunch or anything? We have time." Dave informed Klaus as he plopped himself into the chair beside his. Klaus shrugged before pulling his gaze away from Ben's and turning to Dave.

"I'm not hungry. There are a few cute little shops right down the road, they're near the pharmacy. We could walk around there for a bit and then head there? Maybe Diego could meet us at the pharmacy, instead?" Dave nodded and smiled, running his palm down Klaus's arm.

"That sounds fun, I'll call him back and ask if that's alright, I'll be right back."

—-

Diego was okay with that plan, so the two boys left the hospital hand in hand and headed towards the shops, followed closely by Ben. It was a small strip of bout five little shops, a pawn shop, a jewelry store, a quaint little fashion boutique where Klaus bought (er, maybe stole, he couldn't remember) his favorite patchwork jacket with the fur cuffs from. There was a dog groomer there, they all watched and smiled as the woman inside trimmed the nails of a corgi as they walked by. Klaus laughed at the comical way the woman struggled with the little doughy blob of a dog, with its tiny little legs.

They'd spent a lot of time walking around inside the stores, and Klaus's energy was beginning to fade; his steps growing sluggish and uncoordinated. He was so tired, Dave could tell.

"Let's skip the last store and just get to the pharmacy now, yeah?" Klaus nodded tiredly as Dave tightened his grip on his hand. They passed by the last shop as they started towards the pharmacy.

It was a small trinket shop, with little collectibles and antiques inside. Dave glanced into the window as they passed. As he did, something on display in the window caught his eye. He instantly stopped in his tracks, before backpedaling a step to examine the item further.

Klaus swayed dizzily at the motion, but followed Dave's lead. He looked at Dave, who was smiling ear to ear, a look of amazement on his features. Klaus followed his gaze to the item that was causing Dave's reaction.

"Wow, I can't believe that. My dad had one just like that when I was growing up." Klaus peered closer to the window; tiredly resting his shaky GOODBYE hand against the glass as he did so. He squinted to focus his vision on the item.

It wasn't anything overly impressive, just a small white and brown porcelain deer. It was old, he could tell; probably some kind of vintage collector item. But, Klaus could tell by the expression on Dave's face that this small little hunk of glass brought back memories to Dave, brought him joy.

"Oh?" Began Klaus, voice thick with curiosity, "Well, come on then, out with it. What's the story behind Bambi, here?" Dave laughed, carding his fingers through his own dirty blonde curls.

"I grew up on a farm in Lima, Ohio. My dad and I, we used to go hunting, and fishing, you know, all that 'manly, rugged outdoors' stuff." Klaus swooned at Dave's statement while Ben snorted.

"Ooh, sounds sexy. I nearly forgot I snagged myself a down home country boy." Dave laughed as he nodded.

"Well, country is right. Hunting was my favorite activity with my dad. We would wake up before the sun, and head into the woods. We'd wait for hours in our old rickety deer stand, just waiting for the deer to show up. Fishing was fun, but nothing could compare to bagging your first deer of the season. Dad and I would have a competition; who could claim the biggest buck, or who would bag the most points."

"There was a tally system?" Asked Klaus. Dave laughed.

"No, no. 'Points' are the tines on the antlers. If it's big enough to hang a finger off of, it counts as a point. Eight points was great and all, but I bagged a ten point buck my last year hunting with my dad. That was the real prize. Dad was so proud, he mounted the head on the wall." Klaus aw'd in response.

"When I was real little and started showing an interest in joining my dad on his hunting trips, he brought me home a little figurine, just like that one." He pointed to the porcelain deer, "I always loved that deer, I'd kiss it before each hunting trip. Swore it brought me luck." He laughed as Klaus smiled, laying his hand on Dave's chest, rubbing circles into the soft fabric of his shirt.

"We should buy it babe, little Bambi would look real cute on your nightstand." Klaus requested tiredly. Dave smiled at his love, kissing his temple before ruffing his hair.

"Nah, that's alright. I don't have any money, and you're not buying me some silly piece of glass. Just seeing it was nice enough. Brought me back to that time, ya know?" Klaus smiled and nodded at Dave, pulling him into a hug.

Klaus tried to convince Dave to let him buy it for him, but he refused to let Klaus 'waste his money on a silly hunk of glass.'

But Klaus had an idea...

He knew Dave's birthday was coming up; he could come back at another time, and buy it for him then. He knew he said he didn't care to celebrate, but, that would be such a wonderful surprise. Just envisioning the face he would make when he unwrapped his present and that little deer stared back at him, oh, Klaus's heart felt so warm, his cheeks ached from the stretch of his skin from his mile long smile.

As they started their trek towards the pharmacy and Klaus noted the way Dave glanced back at the statue once more, his mind was set. He knew he would need to make a plan to return back here in time for Dave's birthday, to ensure he could get this special gift for his love.

He was excited to surprise Dave with his gift, now he just needed to weave the plan to make this all happen.

Klaus couldn't help but feel excitement, this would be the best surprise ever!


	7. Chapter 7

A few weeks had gone by since the two boys passed that little trinket shop to pick up Klaus's anti nausea medication. They found that it helped a lot the first couple of nights; bringing him instant relief from the unrelenting discomfort and stomach pain that ravaged his weakened body.

However, it didn't last.

After the first four days his nausea returned stronger than ever, once again leaving Klaus practically living in front of the toilet. Dave was upset that it didn't seem to bring him any relief anymore; he just wanted his love to be comfortable. He hated him always feeling so sick.

When Klaus awoke, he was wrapped tightly in his blanket, Dave's arms draped around him in a comforting embrace. He was rubbing soothing circles against the skin of Klaus's back, causing his tense muscles to relax against the tender touch. Dave had his lips pressed into his hairline, delicately depositing kiss after kiss there. Klaus smiled tiredly against Dave's chest, struggling to pull himself closer.

Klaus didn't know why, or how to explain it, but the last few days had been incredibly tough for him.

He'd always been tired and nauseous, but somehow his previous symptoms paled in comparison to how he felt the last week. He was constantly in such a severe state of fatigue, sitting up or standing stole what little energy he had from him. His vision was constantly swimming, leaving him feeling vulnerable and faint. The nauseous feeling in the pit of his stomach became louder than the ghosts who haunted him; constantly screaming at him and demanding his attention. He felt as though he never was able to truly find any solace or rest.

He did his best to hide his discomfort from Dave and his siblings, however. He didn't want them hovering over him in worry, he knew that these were just symptoms from his chemo. He didn't deem it necessary to worry them over something as simplistic as that.

Last night had been a particularly difficult one on Klaus, though.

His nausea kept him up the entire night; heaving painfully only for nothing to come out. Dave stayed with him throughout the majority of it, before it seemed to finally lull enough and he was finally able to pull Klaus back to bed. Dave fell asleep and instantly Klaus's nauseous feeling returned. Dave was so tired, Klaus couldn't bring himself to disturb him, so he carefully removed the blanket from his form before painstakingly returning to the bathroom alone, where he spent the rest of the night in agony.

The sun was already up when he finally slunk back into bed beside Dave. He was fairly certain he'd only just began to close his eyes to finally relent to sleep, before he snapped back to reality.

He was agonizingly exhausted, and frankly, he felt a lot worse for wear in general today.

"Morning beautiful." Whispered Dave, leaning closer to Klaus, cupping his weary cheek as he pressed his lips against his own. Klaus smiled groggily into the kiss before opening his eyes.

"Morning, babe. I should be rubbing your back, not the other way around." Dave shook his head.

"No sir, you know I love nothing more than comforting you in any way I can, you'd dare take that away from me?" Klaus exhaled a laugh through his nose softly. He licked his lips, nuzzling deeper into Dave's embrace.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday my dearest Davey-poo, happy birthday to you..." Klaus sang sleepily against Dave's neck. Dave smiled brilliantly, tightening his arms around Klaus's waist, pressing his lips to his curls.

"Aw, thank you baby, I love you." Dave pressed his lips against Klaus's forehead, kissing him again.

Klaus peered up into Dave's adoring sapphire eyes with his hazy green ones. He smiled, puckering his lips; begging for a kiss. Dave pressed their lips together, smiling against the touch of it. He pulled away when Klaus suddenly groaned; his eyes pinched shut as his body started to shiver. Dave's smile immediately faded when he observed his love's weary appearance. He moved his hand to Klaus's cheek, then to his forehead to gauge his temperature.

"Darlin, you feeling okay? You're really hot."

Klaus sighed, pressing his cheek against the warmth of Dave's broad chest.

"I'm fine, babe. I'm wrapped up like a swaddled baby, and I've been pressed against your furnace of a body all night. I promise, I'm fine." He lied.

He didn't feel fine, honestly he felt like complete shit. He was so tired, his limbs were shaking. Plus, he had a horrible migraine that was making the room dance and spin before him. He closed his eyes again as Dave started rubbing his back with such a tender touch.

"Don't forget, you need to take Ally to her appointment today, everyone else is busy." Klaus reminded, earning a groan from Dave.

Not that he didn't want to help Allison, he and all of the siblings had actually grown rather fond of one another now that they were all working together on behalf of Klaus's benefit.

But, weeks ago he'd promised Klaus they would spend all day together for his birthday. He didn't want to break that promise; but Klaus assured him he didn't mind. If anything, it just made him more excited to look forward to the cuddles he'd get when they were reunited that evening.

Dave rested his cheek against Klaus's curls, taking in a deep breath before releasing it with a heavy sigh.

"But, I don't want to, I'd much rather stay right here in this moment with you."

Klaus smiled, nuzzling closer into Dave's touch.

If he was being honest with himself, Klaus wanted nothing more than for that, as well. He was so tired, and something about the way Dave held him, and made him feel, he didn't want to ever leave this spot. He was so comfortable wrapped in the warmth of Dave's loving arms.

But, Klaus had been diligently working for weeks with his siblings, and had done a lot of planning to make this day happen.

Klaus told all of his siblings what he wanted to do for Dave for his birthday—They helped him set this entire day up. Luther and Five would help Vanya with her powers, so they couldn't take Allison to her appointment. Diego would be 'busy at the boxing ring, prepping for a fight' leaving only Dave to be able to take Allison. It was perfect; Dave wouldn't know any better, and he certainly wouldn't expect anything - especially after they agreed not to celebrate.

But, Klaus was sneaky like that.

Diego didn't actually have a fight, he was going to help Klaus go into town to pick up party decorations, and food, as well as finally pick up that little porcelain deer Dave loved so 'deer-ly', as Klaus often joked.

Klaus may have felt like absolute shit, but in that moment, all that mattered was doing something special for the love of his life's special day.

"No but's. Now, go on, run along now. Have fun." Klaus tiredly peeled himself away from Dave's embrace. He weakly shoved his shoulder, ushering him out of the bed. Dave pouted as he stood peering back towards his sleepy boyfriend.

Klaus burrowed himself back underneath the blankets, curling into himself. He was left freezing from the absence of Dave's body pressed against his own. Dave smiled down sadly at Klaus, leaning over him and cupping his cheek while he kissed his curls.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

Dave hurriedly threw on a pair of jeans as he shrugged himself into a white and charcoal gray striped v-neck shirt. He knew the hospital would be chilly, so he threw a navy blue blazer on over it, before finally slipping his socked feet into a pair of white converse shoes. Klaus watched him get dressed with a smile.

"That's my favorite outfit on you, babe. Perfect birthday ensemble."

Dave did look rather dapper. Klaus and Allison helped him pick out some outfits, since he had virtually nothing but the clothes he wore on his back when they first arrived in 2019. He certainly couldn't allow his love to walk around looking homely. His fashion wasn't quite as, eclectic as Klaus's, so they helped him choose outfits that he could feel both comfortable, and confident in.

Dave simply smiled; leaning over Klaus to capture his lips in a kiss once more. Klaus closed his eyes savoring his touch before Dave ran his fingers over his cheeks and across his forehead. The radiating heat on his skin caused him to frown.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay? Maybe you should come along, we can get you checked out. You're still much warmer than I'd like." Klaus simply groaned, waving his hand in the air dismissively.

"Babe, I'm perfectly fine. Quit trying to back out of your obligations to my sister." He smiled, trying to lighten the mood and pull the attention away from himself. Dave returned the gesture as he finally nodded.

"Alright, alright, fine. I love you, babe. I should only be a couple of hours, and then you'll have me all to yourself for the rest of the night. Just, try to rest, okay?" Klaus smiled and nodded reassuringly to Dave.

"Wouldn't have it any other way. Now, go, have fun. Don't do anything I would do." He weakly giggled before closing his eyes once more. Dave smiled lovingly at him, rustling his curls, and planting a kiss atop his head before he finally left the room.

Klaus inhaled a deep shaky breath before releasing a long sigh as he pulled the blankets away from his body. He rolled himself onto his back and just laid there for a moment, clenching his shut.

He had such a horrible migraine, every time he opened his eyes the room started to spin.

He couldn't help but feel upset that of all days to feel his absolute worst, it would be the day he had so many important tasks to complete for his love. Ben was watching from the foot of his bed; he looked down at Klaus's pale sweaty form with a displeased glint in his eye.

"Klaus, you look like shit." Klaus lifted his weary head from his bed to look at Ben before groaning, flopping himself back down.

"Tell me something I don't already know, Ben." Klaus shakily heaved himself into a seated position, dangling his legs off the edge of his mattress before planting his bare feet against the ground. He grabbed ahold of his blankets to steady himself when the room seemed to swivel and spin before him. He closed his eyes and shook his head to try to clear this awful feeling.

"What kind of decorations do you think we should get for Dave's party, Ben? You think a Bambi theme would be too childish? Maybe we could go with captain America; very patriotic, fitting for him."

"I don't think this is a good idea, Klaus. You obviously aren't feeling well, you had a rough night last night. You should listen to your body, and rest today." Klaus stuck his tongue out at Ben, blowing a raspberry at him.

"You're no fun, I'm fine." Diego entered the room then with a smile on his face.

"Okay, Allison and Dave just left. We're in the clear, you ready?"

"I just need a few minutes, I'll meet you downstairs." Klaus spoke softly, planting his hands on his knees as he exhaled a shaky breath.

Diego took in Klaus's disheveled appearance and frowned.

"Hey, you feeling okay?"

Klaus rolled his eyes, folding his head back as he rubbed his hands down his face with an exasperated groan.

"Yes, Diego, I am fine."

Diego didn't look impressed, but nodded anyways. He knew how important this outing was to Klaus.

"Alright, I'll see you in a couple minutes." He left the room, closing the door behind him.

Klaus took a few deep steadying breaths to try to gain his composure. He could do this, it wasn't like they were going on some perilous journey. They were running into town, going to three stores, and coming home.

He could handle this.

He finally mustered the strength to stand, only to sway dizzily for a moment as he stumbled to his armoire. Ben ran to his side to assist; emotionally more-so, rather than physically. Klaus swatted at Ben before opening the dresser and peering inside.

He decided to wear something comfortable. Even though it was nearing July and was incredibly hot outside; ever since his cancer diagnosis, Klaus always felt rather cold, so he decided he would wear his oversized emerald green slouchy sweater. It was old, well worn, and probably his most comfortable item in his entire wardrobe. He quickly pulled it on over his head, relishing the instant warmth and comfort it brought him. He dug through the armoire until his fingers latched onto a pair of light wash gray jeans with small rips and tears along the knee and thighs. He grabbed a hold of the dresser with one hand to steady himself as he slipped them on, one leg at a time.

He quickly cuffed the bottoms so they hit just above his ankles. He always preferred the way this particular outfit looked when the jeans were cuffed. Klaus sat back down on his bed for a moment to gather his bearings and to slip into his rust colored converse. He sat there for a few minutes with his eyes closed, just until the room stopped spinning, before finally making his way out of his bedroom.

Klaus started his journey down the stairs, knuckles white from gripping the bannister with all of his might.

_He was just so dizzy..._

He hated how shitty he was feeling today.

But, Klaus pushed that all to the back of his mind. He had a very important mission to compete, he could rest and take it easy once it was done.

Diego was waiting for him in the living room, he stood to greet him once he stepped onto the ground floor.

"Finally, let's go."

—-

They climbed into the car and Diego pulled out of the drive, heading the direction of town. Klaus tiredly leaned his head against the window, clamping his eyes shut.

He just wished this dizzying feeling would leave him. He could deal with the tiredness, but he wanted to be able to stand up and see straight without feeling so lightheaded.

"So, I figured we could pick up the decorations and food first. Then hit up the trinket store for the figurine, and stop for the cake last. How does that sound?" Klaus didn't respond.

"Hello, earth to Klaus," Diego snapped his fingers in his brothers direction. "Yoo-hoo, Klaus? Jesus, I thought Luther was supposed to be space boy."

Klaus just groaned pinching eyes shut tighter.

"Dude, seriously, are you sure you're okay?"

"Diego is talking to you, if you want to keep up this charade that you're fine, I suggest you respond to him." Stated Ben flatly from the back seat.

Klaus peeled his eyes open, turning his weary head to gaze at his brother.

"I'm fine, just tired, per usual." He finally answered.

Diego's eyebrows pinched with concern but he nodded, shooting an unsure grin to his brother.

"Okay. So, does that plan sound good to you?"

"Actually," Started Klaus, adjusting himself so he was sitting up straighter in his seat, "Would you mind if we split up? You could pick up the decorations, since Ben doesn't like any of my ideas for them, and the food. I'll run in and pick up Dave's present, and we can meet back up at the cake shop. How does that sound?"

"Split up? I don't know, Klaus," Began Diego, but Klaus interrupted him.

"It'll go quicker if we split up, Di. You know I'll just linger in the party aisle. I just want to get this done so I can take a nap before Dave gets home. I want to be able to watch his face light up when I give him his present."

"If you're this tired, why don't you stay home? I can pick everything up while you nap. I don't mind, really." Klaus shook his head.

"No, I want to do this, Diego. I need to do this for Dave, it's important to me that I do it." Diego nodded in understanding, patting his brother on the knee.

"Alright, fine. If you're sure that you feel okay, we can split up."

—-

The drive into town went by quickly and quietly. Diego parked the car; running around the side to help Klaus out of it. He could tell Klaus wasn't feeling his best today. He didn't like the idea of them splitting up, but, he knew his sickly brother had a point.

It would make the time go by considerably faster if they divided and conquered.

He opened Klaus's door and grabbed ahold of his hand, leveraging his brother up. He noticed how Klaus seemed to toggle dizzily.

"Klaus—"

"I'm fine, Di. Quit worrying all the time. Seriously, you'll give yourself an ulcer." Klaus pulled his hand out of Diego's and started walking towards the shops. Diego followed closely behind him.

"Okay, you get the present. I'm going to run into the grocery store for the party supplies and the food. We will meet at Stella's Bakery for the cake, say in about, ten to fifteen minutes?" Klaus raised his eyebrows as he nodded.

"Sounds like a plan to me. See you then."

The two boys split up, Diego heading towards the grocery store at the far end of the strip, as Klaus headed towards the little antique shop where Dave's gift was located.

It wasn't a far walk for him from the parking lot, but he felt exhausted by the time he reached the store. Klaus pushed on the door to open it; a little bell alerted the worker he was entering. He heard someone greet him and flicked his HELLO hand in response.

He wandered around the small shop, admiring all of the trinkets as he passed them by. There were plenty of interesting items inside; a lot of crap Klaus felt would fit in wonderfully back home at the academy, but he was on a mission and needed to focus.

As he continued to circle the store in search for the little porcelain deer, Klaus started feeling extra crummy.

His head had already been pounding; a raging migraine jackhammering his skull all night, and he had been obscenely dizzy all morning. But, Klaus was starting to feel rather strange, even for him.

He was feeling confused and disoriented, he kept forgetting what he was looking for, and exactly where he was. He remembered the doctor told him that chemo could cause that to happen, but this was his first time experiencing it, and he was not a fan. He shook his head to regain his mind before finally spotting the little deer he sought after. It was in the window sill; Klaus should have remembered that, as that was how he learned about the deer in the first place. He quickly trudged towards it, wrapping his fingers around the tiny figurine, scooping it up, and pressing it against his chest as though it was the most precious, valuable item within the store.

"Alright, you found the deer, go check out and let's go." Ben pushed, eager to get Klaus out of there and finally get him home.

Klaus nodded before unsteadily taking a step forward. He stumbled, steadying himself on an old antique dresser. He groaned as he screwed his eyes shut.

"Fuck, can't everything just please stop spinning?" He whispered under his breath. He was so over this miserable feeling.

"Klaus, I told you this was a bad idea. Maybe you should sit down for a minute?"

Klaus swatted his GOODBYE hand at his brother before heaving himself back into an upright position. He shook his head to clear his mind, opening and closing his eyes a few times to clear the fog from his brain.

"Nonsense, Ben. I'm fine. Now shush, you're giving me a headache." Ben rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"I'm giving you a headache? Imagine what you're giving me." Klaus smiled tiredly at his brother, blowing him a kiss; earning a wink from Ben in return.

Klaus felt that he'd steadied himself enough, so he made his way to the register to check out.

It was oddly busy in the store, he thought. There were two people in line when he entered it, and a few piled in behind him as well. He closed his eyes, clutching the deer to his chest as he waited his turn.

He felt so miserable, his head just hurt so badly, even the lights in the store were making his head pound more. He suddenly felt hot and clammy as well, maybe the sweater was a bad idea.

"Next."

Klaus wiped his arm across his brow, swiping at the little beads of sweat that accumulated there.

"Next."

He cleared his throat, rolling up his sleeves. He was so exhausted and just so dizzy.. he nearly lost his balance, but caught himself.

"Sir, you're next."

"Klaus, it's your turn!" Ben finally dragged Klaus to his senses. He hadn't even realized the line was moving.

"Oh, sorry." He shakily made his way up to the register, delicately placing the figurine on the counter. The cashier took it and rang it up before laying it back down where he got it from.

Klaus's head was spinning. His eyelids felt so heavy, and his vision and hearing felt so unfocused.

_He was just so dizzy..._

"Klaus, pay the man!" Klaus's eyes snapped open, he hadn't even noticed he'd closed them. He shook his head and looked around.

The cashier was holding his hand out expectantly, a look of frustration on his features. Klaus shook his head, eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Oh, right, of course." He dug into his back pocket pulling out his wallet. He removed his debit card (courtesy of Diego) and handed it to the man.

"Goes there." The man pointed to the small card reader in front of Klaus. Klaus nodded and slid the card into the slot.

"It's a chip reader, you can't slide it like that."

Klaus looked at the card and then back to the machine. He pushed the card into the bottom, only for the cashier to sigh in frustration.

"Flip it around, the chip needs to go into the reader." Klaus fumbled with the card before turning it around and sliding it back into the slot. He looked at the little screen for a long moment, eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

"Klaus, put in your PIN number. The screen is prompting you." Ben stated from behind him.

"I..I can't remember my PIN." He stated quietly.

He'd used his pin a million times, why couldn't he remember it?

God, why did he feel like this, why couldn't he focus?

"Klaus...just, run it as credit, ask if it can be ran as credit." Ben's eyebrows furrowed in concern, he could tell Klaus was really struggling right now, he could sense something was wrong with his brother.

"Can, uh. Can this be ran as credit?" He asked, never tearing his focus from the small machine.

The cashier rolled his eyes.

"Hit the green button."

Klaus squinted before widening his eyes and then squinted again.

Everything was so blurry...

He brought his finger to the monitor and hit the first button he found. The machine beeped angrily at him.

"You hit the red button, that canceled the transaction. Try again, hit the green button." The cashier stated. Klaus could sense they were growing annoyed, but trying to stay calm.

"Klaus, are you sure you're okay?" Ben was growing steadily more worried.

Klaus closed his eyes and took in a deep breath to focus himself. He leaned heavily against the counter as a cough burst through his lips, he cupped his free hand over his mouth to stifle it.

"Hurry up! I have somewhere to be!" Yelled the customer behind Klaus in line.

Klaus cleared his throat, straightening his stance as he groaned.

"For fucks sake, ring me up, and let me leave if he's going to take his sweet ass time."

"Sorry, sorry." Klaus held up his unsteady hands in apology.

"I'll, uh, can I...can I pay with cash, instead?" The cashier rolled their eyes.

"Cash, credit or check is fine." Klaus nodded before removing his card from the machine and once again fishing out his wallet.

He put the card back, and grabbed the wad of cash he had inside, before he stuffed his wallet back into his pocket. He handed the cash to the cashier.

The cashier took the money, eyeing it incredulously; pulling out the necessary amount. He punched it into the register before handing Klaus all of his change. Klaus accepted the change into his unsteady hands.

He was too dizzy to focus on much of anything right now, so he quickly shoved the money into his pocket, sending quarters and dimes flying everywhere. He gathered the figurine into his shaky hands and rushed towards the door.

"Sir, you dropped your change!" The cashier called after him, but Klaus couldn't be bothered to care about that right now; he needed out of there, he desperately needed some fresh air.

When he stumbled through the door and out onto the sidewalk outside, Klaus's vision tilted suddenly. He nearly collapsed.

He was able to latch onto a wall, steadying himself as he buried his forehead against the rough texture of the building.

He screwed his eyes shut, taking in deep shaky breaths, trying in vain to will this awful dizzy feeling away. Ben was beside Klaus, watching him worriedly.

"Klaus, you should sit down for a few minutes. Compose yourself; take a minute, please."

Klaus groaned, doubling over himself as he clutched his stomach. The tilt-o-whirl of the world around him was making him nauseous. He coughed before retching violently onto the pavement.

His head was pounding, everything was spinning, he was just so fucking tired...

"Klaus, seriously, please sit and rest for a few minutes." Klaus groaned again before opening his eyes into slits.

He just needed to hold it together to get to the bakery. They just needed to get the cake, then they could go home. Then he could rest. He could do this, he just needed to hold himself together a little while longer.

"No," He shook his head, pushing himself away from the wall with a shuddered groan, "Stella's bakery is right there, Ben. I just need to make it there to get the cake, then Diego will take me home. I'll rest when I'm home. I can do this!" Ben went to protest, but Klaus stumbled forward, already heading towards the bakery.

Each step he took closer towards the bakery, the further he felt from reality. Klaus clutched Dave's deer figurine close to his chest; his breaths came out in short ragged gasps.

He felt so unbelievably dizzy, and lightheaded...

Klaus's body felt foreign to him, his head pounded and his limbs shook in protest to every step he took. His eyelids kept drooping, his body begging him to sleep, but he couldn't.

He was almost there, just a few more steps...

Diego rounded the corner towards Stella's bakery, his hands were full of bags of party supplies and birthday decorations. He saw Klaus approaching and smiled at him; holding his arms up to show off his loot of goodies he'd picked up.

"Mission accomplished!" He called towards his brother.

Diego's face fell when he realized Klaus's appearance and mannerisms.

Klaus's face was twisted in pain, he wasn't steady on his feet at all, and he was struggling to stay upright. Even from this distance Diego could tell he was physically shaking.

"Hey, Klaus, you alright?" He called across to him. Klaus's head tilted, his face peering in his brother's direction before his eyes fluttered.

"Di..ego.." Klaus's eyes rolled back as his body went limp; collapsing against the pavement.

"Klaus!" Diego dropped everything in his hands and ran to his brother.

He knelt beside Klaus, tilting his head so he could get a better look at him. Diego tapped Klaus's cheek to try to wake him.

"Klaus? Klaus, come on, wake up. Klaus—" Diego's hand paused. He pressed his palm firmly against his brother's flushed skin, before moving to rest his hand against his sweat slicked forehead.

Klaus was burning up.

"Shit."

Diego knew he'd been prone to running fevers since his cancer diagnosis, but they were always low grade.

Klaus's skin was hot - way too hot.

"Shit, Klaus!" He scooped Klaus's unconscious form into his arms before hastily rushing him towards his car. Something was terribly wrong with his brother, he needed to get Klaus to the hospital, now.

He ran Klaus to the car, leaving their forgotten party items behind.

Dave's deer figurine laid smashed against the pavement in their wake.


	8. Chapter 8

Dave wouldn't have ever expected that his birthday, of all days, would turn into one of his worst nightmares.

He'd brought Allison to her appointment at the hospital for her vocal therapy session. She insisted he didn't have to accompany her in the room, and suggested he just wait in the lobby. She was quite persistent for a woman who could only convey her needs and wants through a notepad.

Dave knew that he wouldn't be of any real help to her in the room anyways, he'd merely serve as a distraction, so he willingly accepted her request. He sat there absentmindedly flipping through an old Better Homes and Gardens magazine, his eyes slipping occasionally shut as the time seemed to drag on.

Truthfully, he was quite tired. Night after night he'd been staying beside Klaus while his nausea kept him seemingly a permanent fixture within the bathroom. It was exhausting to himself, always being kept awake. But, he wouldn't dare leave Klaus to struggle alone throughout the night like that; neck deep inside a toilet.

It killed Dave to think of how fucking terrible his poor love must constantly be feeling day in and day out. If _he_ was this tired, then how did Klaus truly feel?

Dave had noticed that Klaus hadn't been acting himself the last few days. He could tell he was putting on a brave face, hiding his true emotions and feelings behind his usual bright and cheerful facade, but Dave knew Klaus better than anyone else. He noticed the bags under his loves eyes becoming more prominent, and the way he seemed to sway dizzily at any given moment.

True, since Klaus's diagnosis, he'd often times found himself to be rather dizzy. Actually, he had been since kicking his drug habit in general. And, sure, Dave remembered moments in the beginning where Klaus had really bad days where he'd found him collapsed on the floor.

But somehow, this was different.

He could be doing nothing at all and Dave could tell by the look on his face that something wasn't right. He also noticed when his energy levels seemed to deplete even more once again. He knew Klaus had been struggling to sleep. In the beginning, when he first started his chemotherapy, he would be sick throughout the night, but be able to sleep on and off throughout the day. Taking a two to three hour nap between his fits of nausea.

Now, though, Dave couldn't remember the last time he actually saw Klaus resting. That morning when he pulled him into himself, cradling his slumbering form against his chest was the only time he could remember seeing him sleeping at all within the last weeks span.

Even then, his limbs were shaking from fatigue...

Dave wasn't even sure that Klaus had truly been asleep for long before he pulled him back into reality with his unwavering affection and love. He couldn't help but feel guilty in that moment. Perhaps, he should have left him alone, and allowed him to sleep. The weary look in his loves bleary bloodshot eyes was enough to stop and shatter his heart right then. But, he just loved him so much, he couldn't control himself when it came to that man. The way he cuddled himself closer against Dave's embrace that morning, he knew Klaus must've wanted and yearned for his presence, as well.

Dave nearly lost himself when a familiar voice echoed through the lobby, instantly snapping him out of his tired distracted trance.

"Help! Please, my brother needs help!"

Diego ran into the lobby, eyes blown wide with fear. His gaze tracking to the front desk before scanning over the lobby occupants and meeting Dave's shocked gaze.

"Diego? KLAUS!" Dave's eyes widened as he sprang to his feet, running to his boyfriend's side. His hands were instantly on Klaus's face, pushing his sweat matted hair out of his eyes, his heart plummeting when he felt the heat radiating off of Klaus's damp skin. "He's burning up, what happened?"

"We..w-w-we were in town running, uh, e-errands and he just c-c-collapsed."

"Errands? Why was he out, he should have been resting!" Dave cupped Klaus's cheeks in his calloused hands, as he examined his face, scrutinizing every feature.

"He, uh, he i-insisted on going. I t-tried to get him to stay home and sleep, but he w-w-wouldn't."

"He looks awful." Dave gently tapped Klaus's cheek, trying desperately to get him to wake up, "Babe? Baby, please wake up." He pleaded, tears in his eyes.

Thankfully, a nurse approached the three men with a wheelchair. She encouraged Diego to set Klaus into the chair, asking what happened, before bringing him back through the emergency doors.

Leaving Diego and Dave to sit and wait.

—

_"We repeated Klaus's blood work, it appears his bone marrow isn't producing enough healthy blood cells. This is, unfortunately, something that can occur while taking chemotherapy. The drugs kill unhealthy tissue, but sadly, healthy tissue poses a risk for damage as well. In Klaus's case, his body isn't able to reproduce the healthy tissue quick enough. I'm afraid this is extremely serious. He really should have been brought in much sooner, he has developed aplastic anemia, he needs a blood transfusion immediately."_

_"He needs to be reminded that he should always listen to his body. He has cancer; if he feels that something isn't right, he should always address it as soon as he can. This is very serious, it's a good thing he was with his brother when he collapsed. Had this gone unnoticed, or untreated, he could have died."_

—-

Dave laid on Klaus's Hospital bed. He was raking his fingers through his hair just offering his love, comfort, and support. Klaus was currently going onto the sixth hour of his blood transfusion. His aplastic anemia was so severe, the doctor felt it best to do a 10-unit transfusion, which would take a total of twenty-four hours to complete. Klaus would need to stay in the hospital to be monitored for four days after to ensure his body didn't have an adverse reaction to the treatment.

Needless to say, this was not the birthday surprise Dave was hoping for. It was so scary to Dave to see Klaus like that. He looked so sickly.

_He was so sickly…_

It was terrifying. Dave just wanted to take his love home, take him away from all of this. To be able to cure him of this god forsaken illness. He just wanted to provide Klaus with good health and happiness. It was _killing_ Dave to know he couldn't do any of that for him.

The doctors words kept repeating themselves over and over in his mind.

He needs to be reminded that he should always listen to his body...

He has _cancer_; if he feels that something isn't right, he should always address it as soon as he can...

Had this gone unnoticed, or untreated, he could have _died_...

he could have died...

_Klaus could have died..._

Dave wrapped his arms around Klaus, burying his face into his shoulder. He couldn't believe this. How could he have allowed this to happen to him? He noticed he felt far too warm for his liking that morning, he should have held his foot down and made Klaus come with him and be seen. He could have died, and Dave couldn't help but feel the need to blame himself.

Klaus groaned in his sleep and pinched his eyes closed tighter together before opening them into weary slits. He placed his unsteady hand over Dave's and adjusted his head so he was looking at Dave's distraught face, their eyes meeting as one.

"Dave.." He whispered softly, his entire being too weak to muster much else.

Dave sniffled and wiped his tears away before peeling his face away from Klaus's shoulder, and taking his hands into his own.

"Hey, baby. How are you feeling, you gave us all quite the scare." Klaus shot Dave an apologetic smile before closing his eyes, his head swaying dizzily before resting his tired head against Dave's chest.

"M'so sorry, baby..."

Dave wrapped his arms around Klaus's exhausted trembling frame, he pressed his lips against his forehead.

"Shh, hey now, no apology necessary. I'm just so thankful you're okay."

"M'sorry I didn't tell you. I've felt a little off for a while now. Just figured it was from the chemo. Didn't want to worry you over nothing..." Dave ran his fingers through Klaus's hair, tucking an unruly curl behind his ear.

"Hey, it's okay. Please don't apologize, baby. This transfusion should help lessen your symptoms, and Dr. Thomas said he will start you on medication to help them as well. You're going to be okay." Klaus hummed in response.

Dave hated seeing Klaus so weak. He could tell this small amount of speaking was draining him of so much energy.

"Try to sleep, okay? I'm not going anywhere, I promise." Dave buried his lips into Klaus's curls, planting a kiss against his temple.

Klaus held back a cough before opening his eyes once more. Dave was surprised to find tears in his hazy emerald orbs.

"I'm so sorry, Dave.." Klaus's lips were trembling, his eyes showcasing his immense sadness. Dave furrowed his eyebrows before once again cupping Klaus's cheek.

"Baby, I told you, you have nothing to apologize for. Shh, try to sleep, you're exhausted—"

"I ruined your birthday. I worked so hard to plan something special for you, babe. Diego and I, we went into town and picked up decorations and food. We got you a—" He dragged his shaky hands to his mouth as he coughed harshly, his eyes screwing shut.

"Shh, baby, calm down, you're riling yourself up—"

"We...we bought you a..a cake.." Klaus finished through his panting. "Dave, I bought it for you, you know.." He opened his eyes and looked deep into Dave's soul. "The little deer figurine, the one like you had when you were little. I bought it for you, Dave." He smiled sadly as a tear spilled over his cheek, Dave promptly wiped it away, gently rubbing under Klaus's eyes with his thumb.

"I was so excited to give it to you, Dave. I couldn't wait to see your face. I wanted to see your eyes light up, to see you smile. I just wanted to see you happy.." He clenched his eyes shut as more tears fell, an exasperated sob escaping his exhausted lips. "I'm so sorry, babe. I-I broke it. When I fell, I dropped it. It..it shattered, I'm so..so sorry, Dave..I'm so sorry...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..." He was shaking his head slowly back and forth, repeating how sorry he was through his sobs and his gasped breaths. Seeing Klaus so upset, so mad at himself was breaking Dave's heart.

"Babe, hey now, please calm down, it's alright, really it is—"

"No, it's not! That figurine meant to much to you, I could see it in your eyes that first time you saw it. The way you stopped in your tracks. The way you smiled. The way you described it. You loved that little deer, and I ruined it. I ruined your birthday, and I broke little Bambi, and I am so sorry.." Another tired sob escaped his lips.

Dave pulled Klaus closer to his chest, wiping at his tears before cupping his cheeks and directing his gaze to his own.

"No, babe. That deer was just a silly piece of porcelain. _You_ are so much more important to me. I could have lost you today, please don't ever do anything like that again. I love you so much."

"I just..I just wanted to give you something special for your birthday." Dave smiled sadly at Klaus, a breathy laugh bursting through his lips.

"Babe, you are the most important thing in my life. The most precious gift I could ever have, is _you_." Dave shifted and reached into his pocket pulling something out before adjusting Klaus in his grasp. He sat up, propping Klaus's back against his chest before holding the item out in front of both of them. "I was going to wait until later on tonight. Your siblings helped me plan all of this. We were going to go home, cuddle on the couch with your favorite movie and a romantic dinner of chicken noodle soup." Klaus smiled sadly as a tired laugh slipped past his lips.

"Klaus, ever since you quite literally fell into my life, I've never known more joy. I've never felt so much love for anyone before, ever. My entire life I've always felt as though a piece of me was missing. Like, I was this puzzle doomed to sit in its box on a forgotten shelf to live my days alone, incomplete. But then you appeared, and you instantly filled that gaping hole in my chest. You were my missing piece all along, Klaus. You complete me." Dave opened the item in his hand, it was a small black jewelry box.

Inside of it was a silver banded ring.

As it turned out, while Klaus's siblings helped him plan to keep Dave distracted long enough for him to plan his birthday celebration; they were also working behind his back helping Dave secretly buy a ring.

"Klaus, will you please do me the honor of being the missing piece to my puzzle? Will you complete me, officially?" An exhausted sob tore through Klaus's lips as he cupped his hands over his mouth, tears freely cascading down his cheeks. He tiredly turned his head to peer into Dave's eyes before resting his forehead against his chin and closing his eyes.

"Yes..yes, Dave. I love you so much, thank you for loving me so wholeheartedly. I don't know where I would be if it weren't for you. I love you, you cheesy old coot." They both laughed as Dave pressed his lips to Klaus's forehead.

Dave gently removed the ring from its case and slid it onto Klaus's ring finger—it was a perfect fit; just like them. Klaus wrapped his arms around Dave as his eyes grew heavy, his eyelids slipping shut.

"I just wish I didn't have to cut our forever so short..I wish..I wish I could stick around forever for you, Dave. I'm so sorry I may not get that chance..." Another tear slid down Klaus's cheek as his exhaustion finally took over, forcing him back into oblivion.

A soft sob escaped Dave's lips.

He hugged Klaus's form closer to his body, burying his face into his shoulder. He kissed his shoulder, his neck, his cheek. He kissed his nose, and his forehead, and his lips. Dave didn't ever want to let this precious man go, he desperately wanted Klaus to spend forever and all of eternity with him. He couldn't lose him now; not when he finally had him officially, when they were betrothed to spend the rest of their lives together. He couldn't bare the idea of ever losing him, _he couldn't_.

Dave didn't want to imagine his life without Klaus. He didn't want to lose his missing piece.

He couldn't.._he wouldn't_...

Dave laid Klaus down on his bed, resting his weary head on his pillows before draping the blanket over his exhausted form. He ran his fingers under his eyes to wipe away his fears and his sorrows before leaning down and kissing him on his lips.

Dave needed to go outside, he needed some fresh air, he needed to think. He got up and quietly left Klaus's hospital room and made his way through the lobby. He ignored Klaus's siblings when he passed them in the hall, he couldn't talk right now. He just needed a moment alone. Dave walked out of the hospital, weaving through the yard until he was in a quiet secluded garden like area, one he supposed was for moments like these.

Moments where people needed a minute to clear their minds, to think, to _mourn_.

Dave rested his palms against the large weeping willow tree he stood under as a sob burst out of his chest. Fitting, he thought, that even the tree would be weeping. He laid his forehead against the smooth bark before forming his palms into fists. He pressed himself away from the tree, entangling his fingers in his hair before circling back on the tree, throwing his fist against it; bone crunching against bark. He recoiled his arm back and threw his fist again, and again, and again as he screamed in anguish. Dave didn't know how many times he struck the tree, he didn't know how long he let out his frustrations, all he knew was that he was suddenly on his knees, crying against Diego and Allison's shoulders.

Luther, Five and Vanya were watching him with looks of pity, fear and despair.

He vaguely registered the words of one of the siblings; which one he was unsure, he wasn't certain he honestly even cared.

"It's okay, Dave. Everything is going to be okay."

—-

**Authors Note**: _Hey guys! Hope you're all still liking this story! I know it can be a doozy at times, but look, sad or not something sweet happened here (Dave PROPOSED and it was CHEESY and SWEET) can we all just take a moment to appreciate Dave?! He's the literal best. I love writing him haha_

_**fangirl2035**_\- _Aw I know! There's a lot of sad bits in this story, unfortunately. Comes with the territory of a cancer story. I'm glad to see you're still enjoying this though! Thank you for your comment! :)_

**Gerry**\- _Aww yay! I'm glad you liked it! Hope you're still enjoying this!_

_Thanks for your comments guys! Comments make me so happy! I hope you'll all continue to enjoy!_

_Also, just sharing in case no one saw but I DID post a new story! It is a daddy Klaus story! There will be angst as it's a transformative journey for Klaus learning to love himself as he also learns to love his child. BUT there will be plenty of tender moments and fluff as well! It's slight AU (Ben is alive!) so if that's something that may interest you, definitely check it out! If you do, leave a comment and let me know what ya think! Here is the full summary (FF makes us trim them down a ton lol):_

**What I Never Knew I Always Wanted**

Klaus always knew he was a fuck up; a low life good for absolutely nothing drug addict. He'd made plenty of mistakes in his life, and he accepted it. But when his casual Tuesday fling winds up pregnant and doesn't want the baby, Klaus can't just abandon it...can he?

Klaus's entire perspective on life changes when that sweet, innocent bundle of joy gets placed into his hands. In that moment Klaus knew he needed to change. He needed to be a better person, he needed to be there wholly for his daughter.

His past mistakes needed to be just that: Mistakes from his past; his present and future now solely revolved around keeping his precious baby girl happy, healthy and safe.

_DEFINITELY check it out if it appeals to you! It's probably my favorite thing I've written haha_

_Thank you all again for your continued support!_


	9. Chapter 9

Klaus had to make do with the situation he'd been dealt and make himself comfortable since he was required to stay in the hospital for four days after his transfusion - his family never left his side.

He was only permitted to have no more than one to two visitors in his room at a time, so everyone would take turns cycling through, keeping him company to ensure he never felt alone, or scared. When Klaus first awoke after Dave's heartfelt proposal, admittedly he was a little disappointed when the person clutching onto his hand wasn't his fiancé's; but his sister, Vanya's.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" She spoke softly, mirroring her usual calm demeanor while smiling lovingly at her brother. Vanya ran her fingers through his curls, gently working out a small knot she found at the base of his ear. Klaus closed his eyes, sighing at the sensation of his sister's gentle touch.

"Tired." Klaus's small voice sounded every bit as tired as he claimed to he. He smiled, exhaling a soft laugh through his parted lips as he dragged his left hand to his face, attempting to rub the sleep from his eyes. Vanya's smile intensified when a newfound artifact displayed proudly on Klaus's drawn hand caught her attention. She leaned forward, touching her fingertips to his, gently pulling his ring finger between her tiny thumb and forefinger while she marveled at the ring.

"I see Dave popped the question. Congratulations, Klaus. I'm so happy for you two." Klaus peered to his ring within his sister's grasp before he retrieved his hand from hers and pressed it against his chest. He clasped his hands together and used his opposing thumb and middle finger to delicately twirl the cool metal band around his slender digit. Klaus smiled fondly at the jewelry, he certainly never thought he would ever be the type to get married; not with his questionable past, but he supposed true love really could change a person's entire perspective on their future.

_Especially when the certainty of that future was so unclear..._

"Yeah," He laughed tiredly. "who knew."

Allison made sure to bring Klaus his favorite soft fluffy blanket from home; she knew her sickly brother would much prefer that to the uncomfortable thin sheets the hospital provided him that barely imparted warmth. She wanted Klaus to be comfortable, and feel as at home as he could during his stay in his least favorable place.

Klaus's energy stayed at a low hum during his time in the hospital; the doctor informed him that was normal given how severe his aplastic anemia had been. The doctor was sure to inform Klaus and his family that the transfusion and medication would not completely fix the problem, it was simply a way to lessen the effects of it on his body. Aplastic anemia wouldn't just go away, it would take time for him to completely heal from it. He warned Klaus that he could still have bouts where he felt as he did when he collapsed and was brought in. The doctor informed Klaus once again to always listen to his body. If he felt anything unusual, noticed any new symptoms, or simply felt that lethargic again, to return to the hospital immediately, as he may require another blood transfusion if the symptoms persist, or the severity strengthened.

Klaus simply nodded his acknowledgment.

Luther and Five always tried to encourage Klaus to play card games with them to keep his mind from the constant boredom that plagued him from his lack of enrichment at the hospital. Luther always insisted on playing Uno, while Klaus fervently requested playing poker.

"Come on, guys! It'll be fun!"

"Klaus, we are not playing poker. There's not anything to bet, anyways." Luther shook his head at his brother before slumping his massive body impossibly deeper into his small plastic chair.

"Sure there is! We could bet those wooden tongue depressor thingie's, oh, or those nitrile gloves!" Klaus's slender hand pointed at the object's he mentioned within the room earning a scoff from Five and an irritated eye roll from Luther.

"Oh, of course, I'm sure the hospital staff would love us wasting all of their medical supplies." Luther shook his head before shooting his brother a crooked smile. He couldn't help but laugh at the hilarity of it all; leave it to Klaus to make such an absurd suggestion.

Five took a seat on the corner of Klaus's bed, picking up a deck of cards. He shuffled them before dealing them out to his brother's.

"So, it's unanimous - we all agree then, poker it is?" Klaus beamed as he straightened his posture on the thin mattress of his hospital bed. Five found Klaus's smirk to be so bright it was almost irritating. He shook his head while he exhaled a long sigh.

"I should have just played solitaire."

Diego always tried to get Klaus to eat something during his visits. Hospital food was less than appealing (Klaus would even go as far as to say the food he got in prison was better) but the doctor told them he needed to eat to keep his iron levels from depleting again. Diego entered Klaus's room, setting the tray on the overbed table before lifting the lid, revealing a spinach salad with tuna.

"Bon appetit!" Diego smirked, handing Klaus a fork while he pulled the small plastic chair Luther utilized earlier closer to the bed so he could sit beside his brother while he ate.

Klaus's face scrunched in disgust.

"Gee, thanks Di.. this looks..yeah, no, I can't even lie. Looks disgusting. You know I don't much care for spinach, more of a romaine guy, myself." Klaus set the fork down, pushing the plate away from himself. He turned his face away from the meal, as if the very sight of it appalled him. Diego sighed, once again pushing the plate closer to his stubborn brother.

"The doctor said this would be the easiest on your stomach. There's enough iron in this meal to sink a ship, your body needs it, Klaus. Now, eat."

Klaus settled his worn body back against the uncomfortable mattress, he draped his hand over his stomach before his tired downcast eyes peered back to his expectant brother.

"I'm really not hungry right now, Di. Suddenly I've..lost my appetite." Klaus leaned his weary head back against his pillow, closing his eyes. He found himself to be absentmindedly twirling his engagement ring on his finger once more. Klaus was beginning to realize that action was quickly becoming a nervous habit of his. He supposed that was probably better than gnawing the skin of his fingers or lips, though.

Diego instantly deflated at Klaus's clearly distraught behavior. He sat on the bed beside his brother, laying a comforting hand on Klaus's bony shoulder.

"I can see it written all over your face, something's on your mind. What's bothering you, bro?" Klaus sighed before opening his eyes, shifting his sodden gaze to his brother's concerned one.

"Dave hasn't been around since he proposed. I just..I thought he'd want to spend time with me. You know, since he asked for my hand in marriage. That and, well," Klaus's speech trailed off as he closed his eyes, laying his head back against his pillow. "The fact that our time together may be limited, given my fucking cancer, and all."

Diego's face fell at his brother's words. He didn't want Klaus thinking that way; so negatively. He's sick, sure, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a fighting chance. It killed Diego to hear his brother speak about his life as though the end was inevitable, like he already had one foot in his own grave. It wasn't, they wouldn't allow it to be.

_They couldn't._

"Klaus, stop. You're going to be fine. Please, don't talk like that. Don't be such a—"

"A what, Diego? A '_downer_'? I'm not, I'm being realistic. How much research have you done on my illness? Pancreatic cancer - it's not fucking good, Diego. The likelihood of me beating this? Yeah, slim to fucking none. So, forgive me, I'm just trying to be honest with myself, here."

"Klaus—"

"No, Di. Stop, please," Klaus brought both of his shaky hands to his face, rubbing each of his eyes, before dragging his palms down his flushed cheeks with a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, okay? I know I shouldn't talk like this, I just. I don't know, I miss Dave. I guess I'm just in a weird mood, ignore me. Where is he though? Why haven't I seen him, why hasn't he been by? Did I do something wrong, is he mad at me?" Diego could not only hear it, but he could clearly see the frustration and fear on his brother's features.

"Klaus, no, you've done nothing wrong. He could never be mad at you. Dave, he just...he hurt his hand, he will be by before you know it."

"What happened to his hand?" Klaus frantically sat up in bed, his eyes furrowed with worry. The sudden shift in position caused his blood pressure and blood flow to his head to drop. Klaus instantly felt light headed, his eyelashes fluttered as he toggled dizzily, his color draining from his face. Diego's hands flew to Klaus's unbalanced frame to steady him.

"At ease, soldier," Diego gently pressed his hands into Klaus's shoulders, easing his fatigued frame back down onto the mattress. "He's fine, relax. He just had a moment and released some tension. He's okay. Nothing is broken, just a few lacerations, and one gnarly splinter." Diego ran his fingers through Klaus's tousled curls to further assist in calming the sickly boy down.

"What did he do, Diego?" Klaus's voice sounded broken, _hurt_. Diego shot his brother a crooked reassuring smile before anxiously rubbing his hand over the back of his own neck, unsure of how to explain what occurred to his siblings fiancé.

"He—"

"Punched a tree like an idiot," Dave finished, entering the room and slipping himself into the bed beside Klaus. "Sorry I haven't been by, baby." Klaus tiredly turned to Dave, cupping his cheek in his hand as Dave wrapped his arm around Klaus, pulling his form tightly against his own. He smiled affectionately at his love before pressing their foreheads together. Klaus closed his eyes relishing Dave's warm loving touch.

"I missed you so much." Whispered Klaus, so caught up in the return of his fiancé's missed presence. Dave kissed Klaus's forehead before leaning back on the bed, easing Klaus's tired body down so he was resting against his broad chest.

"Not as much as I missed you. I am so sorry I worried you, love. I promise, I'm okay. I just needed to let off some steam." Klaus opened his weary green eyes and peered down to Dave's bandaged hand. He wrapped his fingers around his wrist, and pulled his hand to his chest. It was wrapped in gauze and self adherent bandages, focused mainly around his knuckles. Klaus delicately traced his trembling fingers over the bandages, stroking Dave's wounds before he brought his hand to his lips. Klaus kissed each of his fiancé's knuckles before clutching his love's hand within his own.

"M'sorry, baby." Klaus smiled sadly at Dave, his eyes slipping closed as his body relaxed against Dave's warm and inviting chest. Dave smiled down to Klaus, cupping his cheek within his good hand while he gently stroked his supple skin with the pad of his thumb. Klaus was already falling back to sleep. Dave nestled his cheek to Klaus's head, kissing his curls as he pulled him closer, tucking the blanket tightly against his form.

"Don't be, babe. You've done nothing wrong."

"Don't leave me like that again, please?" Klaus whispered tiredly, his eyes now closed. Dave smiled closing his own eyes, tightening Klaus in his loving embrace.

"Never again, I promise."

—-

Klaus was finally doing considerably better after his blood transfusion. prescribed him medication to help level out the iron in his blood, and keep his levels more stable. Klaus definitely noticed an immediate difference, as his dizzy spells seemed to thankfully fade away, at least for the most part. Sometimes if he stood too quickly he would still get hit with a nasty case of vertigo; but overall he was grateful for the stillness of his world returning to normal.

Unfortunately, Klaus had to stop taking his chemotherapy for two weeks after the procedure, to ensure it wouldn't have an adverse impact on his body. He was thankful that his nausea faded, but he, as well as Dave and his siblings, couldn't help but worry that his cancer would view this as an opportune moment to worsen. They continued to have his bloodwork monitored each week, and thankfully, nothing seemed to have changed. When the two weeks were up and Klaus was able to start back on his chemo again, he was happy, as he knew this was the best course of action for his long term and overall health, but he couldn't help the dread that pooled in his stomach as soon as he swallowed that first pill after the break. He knew what was coming; his nausea would return, and he would once again be plagued with long, exhausting sleepless nights. Klaus also knew he would once again be getting reacquainted with his old friend the toilet.

He didn't want that, but more than anything, he didn't want to drag Dave back into that vicious life cycle again with him. Those sleepless nights were hard enough on _him_; but he saw the toll they took on Dave as well. It was unfair to his love, expecting him to accompany him throughout his never ending bouts of illness. Klaus knew that this time around, if he could help it, he would try to suffer through it alone. He couldn't put this burden on Dave any longer.

_Especially now._

Poor Dave woke up two nights ago with a scratchy throat and a stuffy nose. The poor dear had run himself ragged, constantly worrying over Klaus since the start of his illness. It must have just finally caught up to him all at once. Sadly, for Klaus, because of his cancer, Dave had to completely remove himself from his presence. He had to sleep in a separate room, and avoid Klaus at all costs, as just them being in the same room together with Dave sick (even if it was as minor as a common cold) could pose a huge risk against Klaus's health.

He hated this, he already missed Dave.

Klaus was a sneaky bastard, though - always trying anything he could to even just sneak a peek at his love. He would wear a mask, in case they came into contact, but Klaus would often times just sit outside of the bedroom Dave occupied, merely trying to have a conversation with him through the door. He missed his comforting words, and his tender touch. But Dave was adamant that Klaus listen to everyone - for once - and stay in his bedroom away from the germs. Dave just wanted Klaus to be safe. Begrudgingly, Klaus agreed.

"Ugh..." Klaus groaned, though the sound was muffled by the pillow that he currently had his face buried in.

"It's not so bad, Klaus. It's only been two days. Just wait, in a few days when Dave is better, you'll miss the peace and quiet of his absence." Ben tried to soothe him, though the smirk on his face was anything but reassuring. Klaus groaned, clenching his fists into the sheet on his bed as he listlessly kicked his feet in a tantrum. He just wanted Dave! Couldn't he wait to get sick until like, never?

Klaus was feeling vulnerable as it was, what with today being his first day back on his chemo. He'd only taken the pill a few moments ago, therefore the symptoms hadn't reared their ugly head quite yet, but he couldn't help but manically anticipate their return. He just wished he had Dave there with him, at least for this first day back on his meds, to rub his back or hold his hand. Perhaps that made Klaus selfish, but in the present moment, he didn't care.

Klaus rolled onto his back, releasing a long sigh as he dragged his palm down his face.

"I'm feeling restless, Ben—cagey. I need to get up and do something. I can't just lay here and wait to feel like shit." He threw his blanket off of his body and sat on his bed. The room wasn't spinning, so he went ahead and rose to his feet.

"What do you want to do? And don't say see Dave, as you already know that clearly isn't in the cards for today's events." Klaus rolled his eyes at Ben before tossing on a pair of faded black jeans. He grabbed his pink and white tank top, quickly pulling it over his head as he made his way towards his door.

"I don't know, Ben. Maybe.." Klaus absentmindedly rubbed his stomach with one hand as he traced the bannister with his other, gliding down the stairs. He paused, snapping his fingers and smiling brightly. "Oh! I know, I'll make Dave some soup! Yeah, I'll make him the real stuff - the good stuff - not that canned Campbell's crap!"

"You know how to make soup?" Ben quirked an eyebrow at his brother, the corner of his lips twitching into a questioning smirk. Klaus scoffed, flapping his hand at his ghostly sibling dismissively.

"Soup is easy. I'll have you know, Benny, that back in 'Nam, I was one of the best cooks in my entire battalion."

"You cooked in Vietnam?"

"Well, mostly we ate canned goods, or pre-packaged foods; like nuts or protein bars. But, the few times we had a little R&R and went on leave, we would have competitions to see who could cook the best. I may not have ever cooked before, but I'm competitive, so I tried my damndest. I came in second place for the chili contest. Turns out, I'm pretty damn good. Only lost to Briggs, and he was a line cook before he got drafted!" Ben's eyebrows raised as he nodded, he had to admit, he was rather impressed.

"Alright, let's go make some soup then."

—-

Klaus dug through the kitchen cabinet, banging pots and pans before he finally latched onto the large pot he was searching for. He heaved it out of its spot on the bottom rack; setting it down on the counter.

"Found it!" He sang triumphantly, closing the cabinet before picking the pot back up and setting it down on the large burner on the stove. He bustled around the kitchen, opening the pantry and peering inside, scooting items out of his way to peer deeper into the shelves. "Let's see, if I were broth, where would I...ah-ha!" He wrapped his fingers around a box of chicken broth, quickly plucking it from its spot before setting it down to the side of the stove.

"Do you need a recipe for this, or—"

"I don't need a recipe, Ben. It's called winging it. I did it in 'Nam with chili, I'm sure I can whip up some measly soup!" Klaus sauntered over to the fridge, swinging the door open before leaning over and examining the shelves, strumming his fingers over his facial hair as he searched. He sunk down into a squat, pulling open the vegetable drawer. He pulled out a handful of carrots and three stalks of celery, before closing the drawer. He then opened the meat drawer and found defrosted chicken breasts - hopefully Grace hadn't needed them for a recipe.

Klaus clutched everything to his chest, using his hip to close the refrigerator door. He sat the ingredients on the counter before returning to the fridge, reaching on top to pluck down a small onion. Klaus pulled out a knife and quickly peeled the onion, before curling his fingers in and starting to chop it, using perfect knife skills, Ben noted. He chopped the onion into a fine dice before peeling one clove of garlic from the bulb on the counter, and quickly mincing that as well. Klaus set the knife down and drizzled some oil into the pot before turning the burner onto a low heat. Once the oil was heated to a low simmer, he dumped the contents on the cutting board into the pan, constantly stirring with a wooden spoon. He quickly seasoned them with a sprinkle of salt and a dash of pepper before returning to the cutting board to dice the carrots and celery.

"Keep an eye on that for me, will ya Ben?" Klaus expertly chopped the carrots and celery before he added them into the pot alongside the onions and garlic, stirring them all together once more. "This is called a mirepoix, Benny. Learned that from Briggs." He smirked proudly as he continued to stir the vegetable mix. "Low and slow." He stated as he set the wooden spoon across the pot. Klaus walked to the counter and started busying himself with cleaning up his mess.

Growing up, Klaus had always been a messy person, much to Reginald's chagrin. He'd never been too keen on keeping a tidy room, or a tidy much of anything, really. But, while in Vietnam he'd learned the importance of organizational skills, as they were quickly instilled into his brain. If you were sloppy, your sergeants would have you on your knees scrubbing the floors with your own toothbrush for hours as a punishment. So with that still fresh memory in mind, he scraped up the scraps and placed them onto the cutting board, dumping the mess into the trash, before setting the cutting board back onto the counter.

When his fingers released the cutting board Klaus suddenly felt a sharp stabbing pain in his stomach. He clutched at his belly, leaning into himself as he wrenched his eyes shut, sucking in a quick gasp. Ben noticed his brother's sudden discomfort, and was instantly at his side.

"You okay? Are you nauseas?" Klaus slowly opened his eyes as the painful feeling seemed to pass.

That was..._different_.

Klaus hadn't felt anything like that before. It wasn't nausea, it was just.._painful_. It felt like someone gave him a swift punch to the gut. Klaus shook his head, releasing his belly and straightening up. He smiled at Ben, waving his hand at him dismissively.

"Just, knocked into the corner of the counter is all. I'm good, really." Klaus let out a shaky sigh before reaching for the chicken. He quickly cut it into cubes, being certain to cut each chunk as evenly as he could to ensure even cooking throughout. Klaus left the chicken on the cutting board as he washed his hands thoroughly in the sink.

A little time had passed, and by now the vegetable medley was caramelized, so Klaus was able to add the broth into the pot. The chicken had been added, as well as a bay leaf and some additional herbs.

Klaus was beginning to feel rather tired, so he decided to sit down and rest with a glass of water while he waited for the soup to cook. The lid was on the pan as it simmered for 45 minutes, or until the chicken was perfectly done. Klaus peeled off the lid and checked a piece to make sure it wasn't raw in the middle, as the last thing Dave - or anyone needed - was to get salmonella. Satisfied, he dumped in a packet of egg noodles and continued to stir until it was finished.

"Klaus, I gotta say, I'm impressed. That looks delicious. Dave is going to love it." Klaus smiled at Ben as he continued to stir the soup.

"Something in here smells amazing, mom. What are you—Oh. Klaus, did you cook this?" Diego rounded the corner into the kitchen, followed by Luther, Vanya, Allison and Five.

"You cook?" Five raised an eyebrow, but sniffed the air, nodding at the pleasant scent that wafted around the kitchen.

"It smells amazing, Klaus. What is it?" Vanya asked as she shot her brother an impressed smile.

"It's chicken noodle soup, my own recipe. Whipped it up for Dave," Klaus smiled at his siblings as he explained. "Figured, nothing cures a cold better than a bowl of steaming hot soup." Allison nodded, shooting Klaus a sympathetic glance.

It was incredibly thoughtful of her brother to make such a lovely meal for his sick fiancé, especially when he himself was so sickly. Klaus was always so giving, and nurturing. Allison always admired that about him.

"He will love this Klaus, wow. Good job. Take a seat, relax. We can serve it up for you."

"Nonsense! I got it, it's no—"

"Klaus, seriously, sit down and relax. You just started your chemo back up today, you should be taking it easy. Sit, let us handle this." Luther insisted.

Truth be told, Klaus was feeling a little drained after preparing this meal. Plus, the heat from the kitchen, mixed with the chemo slowly but surely starting to take effect was causing his stomach to feel a little queasy. However, Klaus knew it would be nearly zero effort to ladle some soup into a few bowls, he felt that could handle this.

"Luther, I'm fine. Please, this has been the one thing to keep my mind busy, distracting me from everything going on. You sit, I've got this." Luther shot his brother an uncertain smile before gently tapping his shoulder.

"Fine, but as soon as you're done, please sit and relax. You should probably try to eat a little something too, deal?" Klaus smiled at Luther as he reached for a bowl.

"Deal."

Luther and the rest of the siblings sat around the table just as Klaus instructed them to, situating themselves in their normal spots. Klaus pulled down seven bowls, ladling soup into each one, before setting each bowl down in front of his siblings; including Ben. He filled the seventh bowl with the piping hot liquid and plopped a spoon into the broth before setting it down on the table between Luther and Diego.

"Would one of you two mind running this to Dave real quick? He should eat it while it's fresh, tell him I send my love." He quirked a smile and blew a kiss. "Give him that too, would ya?" Klaus chuckled softly as Diego smirked, latching onto Dave's bowl and rising to his feet.

"I'll take it, and I'll send the message, but I am not blowing him a kiss."

"Aw, you're no fun." Klaus pouted. Diego just smirked at his ill brother as he shook his head while rolling his eyes. He picked up the bowl and turned to bring Dave his soup.

"Klaus, you need to eat too." Luther reminded. Klaus looked around and realized he'd forgotten to grab himself a bowl. He snapped his fingers, pointing at Luther.

"Right! I thought I was forgetting something, thanks big guy." He turned, retracing his steps back to the cabinet to fetch himself a bowl.

Klaus reached into the cabinet, lacing his fingers around the final bowl before pulling it down. He hadn't even taken a single step when his vision suddenly blurred. The room started spinning as the familiar blanket of fatigue wrapped around Klaus, a strong dizzy spell overwhelming him. Klaus's grip on the bowl loosened, causing it to slip from his grasp; sending shards of glass scattering as it shattered against the tiled floors. He groaned, stumbling dizzily as his right hand shot to his stomach when he started to feel a little sick, while his other hand outstretched for anything he could grab ahold of to steady himself. Perhaps he should have listened to his siblings advice, he couldn't help but wonder if maybe he had pushed himself a little too far.

"Klaus, you okay?" Five flashed from his seat and appeared at his brothers side, placing a steadying hand on his back, just as his knees threatened to buckle. "Woah, woah!" Five went to catch Klaus but Luther was quick on his feet, beating him to the punch.

Luther latched onto Klaus, tucking one arm under his shaking knees and the other around his shoulders as he lifted him into the air, clutching him against his giant chest.

"Easy, I've got you." Luther took in his brother's disoriented appearance and frowned. "You okay?"

Klaus's eyes fluttered as he tried to calm the spinning, but it didn't seem to help.

"M'fine, just got a little woozy.." He brought his unsteady hand to the bridge of his nose, pinching it as he clenched his eyes shut once more.

"Klaus, I told you to take it easy. You just had a blood transfusion and hospital stay two weeks ago, and you just started your chemo back up today. You can't push yourself like this, you're sick. You should be resting. You heard the doctor, you need to listen to your body."

"I'm okay, Luther. I've felt fine all day today, I just—"

"Pushed yourself too far. Klaus, I know this is difficult for you, but you need to accept the help when we offer it to you. This whole scenario could have been avoided had you just let us help. You need to stop being so stubborn, and let us do what we need to do." Klaus groaned.

He didn't think he was being stubborn, he was just trying to be strong, and carry on like nothing was wrong. Like things hadn't changed, and everything was as it was before; before his diagnosis, before his _cancer_. He didn't think that was so wrong? Klaus never wanted to be a burden to anyone, he'd never wanted or expected help from anyone his entire life, he didn't want that to change now, just because he was _sick_.

Klaus wanted to argue, tell Luther he was wrong, tell him that he could handle this, that he's stronger than he thinks. If he could hold his own during one of the worst battles this country had ever seen, he could absolutely handle completely mundane tasks such as cooking, and serving soup.

_But he simply didn't have the energy to argue right now..._

His dizzy spell didn't seem to show any sign of stopping anytime soon, and he had already lost most of his energy. Klaus hated to admit it, but maybe his brother was right. Klaus relaxed in Luther's grasp, slumping his head against his chest. He took in a deep breath, before letting out a long shaky sigh.

"Alright. Alright, you're right. I'm sorry, I just...I don't want to be a burden to anyone." Luther frowned, hugging his brother closer to himself.

"You're not a burden, Klaus. Not at all, we just want what's best for you. Let us help you, okay?" Klaus's eyes were closed as what little bit of energy he had seemed to fade. He weakly nodded his head in response to his brother's request. Luther smiled sadly at his frail brother, he hated how quickly his energy could shift.

A moment ago, Klaus was happily busying himself in the kitchen, cooking a delicious meal for everyone. He was joking around, sending his love to Dave. Then, in the blink of an eye his energy faded, leaving him vulnerable and weak once again. It pained Luther to see Klaus this way. He shifted his brothers exhausted form in his arms, adjusting his weight to have a better hold on him.

"Good. You're exhausted, let's get you upstairs to rest, okay? You earned it," Luther paused as he hugged Klaus closer to himself. "The soup was delicious, by the way." Klaus opened his eyes into slits to smile at his brother, Luther returned the gesture as he turned, heading towards the stairwell to bring Klaus upstairs to rest.

"We heard something break, is everything okay?" Diego and Dave frantically entered the kitchen just as Luther and Klaus went to leave.

Their faces displayed their worry well. Even with a mask on his face, Dave's expression was heavily showing his concern when he noticed Klaus's limp sweaty form in Luther's grasp. He gasped and took a step towards them before halting in his tracks. He didn't want to risk getting his germs on Klaus, he couldn't get him sick—but he had to know that his love was alright.

"Klaus, are you okay? Is he okay, Luther? What happened?" Dave rasped, his voice raw from his cold. Klaus's eyes fluttered open as he tilted his head to peer to Dave. His lips tugged into a smile when he realized it was his love who was speaking.

"Babe, how are you feeling? I miss you so much. You should be resting though, you're sick." Klaus spoke softly, but his face shone brilliantly with love and excitement in seeing his fiancé's face.

Dave wanted nothing more than to run to Klaus and pull him into his arms, he was so angry his body betrayed him. Why did he have to be sick when Klaus needed him most?

"Me? Klaus, baby, look at you. You've been up on your feet cooking for god knows how long when you just started your chemo again. You should be resting, darlin. What happened? You look awful, are you okay? Please, be honest, how are you feeling?" Klaus's smile faded as he allowed himself to slump deeper into Luther's arms.

"I'm okay, just a little tired. I may have pushed myself a touch too far."

"He wouldn't let us serve the soup, he was stubborn and wanted to do it himself. When he went to serve himself, he got a little dizzy and dropped the bowl. I told him he needs to remember what the doctor said, he needs to—"

"Listen to my body, I have cancer, yada yada, I got it Luther, you don't need to keep repeating it."

"Apparently I do because you don't seem to remember it."

"I remember it, I simply—"

"Choose to ignore it," Dave finished. "Klaus, I love you, and I miss you, and I wish I wasn't sick, because I want nothing more than to be there to hold you and comfort you right now. But, _please_, listen to Luther. If you won't do it for yourself then please, do it for me."

Klaus opened his weary green eyes again and peered to Dave. He could see the concern in his fiancé's beautiful blue irises; he hated that he always seemed to cause everyone around him to worry. He missed seeing Dave's smile, he missed his touch. Klaus just missed _him_ so much. Screw Dave's cold, and screw this goddamn cancer.

_He just needed Dave right now..._

Klaus could feel his stomach starting to ache as the chemo started to kick in, and he knew he wouldn't get any rest tonight. He just needed Dave, at least for a little while.

Klaus reached his arm forward, stretching his fingertips towards his love; towards his fiancé. He was silently begging for his hand, for his presence, for his touch. He desperately needed a moment of his love and affection.

"Babe.." Klaus whispered as he closed his eyes once more. Dave looked to Luther with a questioning glance; could he take his lovers hand? Luther shot him a concerned smile but nodded, signaling to Dave it would be okay. Dave stepped forward, quickly closing the gap between himself and his love. He latched onto Klaus's hand, intertwining their fingers together. He ran his fingertips over the warm skin on his palm and just held him.

_He_ needed this.

_Klaus_ needed this.

They both wanted nothing more than to hold each other. He missed having his loves body pressed against his own, feeling his hot breath on his neck, his curls against his chin and his lips against his skin.

"I love you, baby. Now, _please_ get some rest, okay? I promise to do the same, and before you know it, we will be together again." Klaus's energy was fading, he really must have pushed himself too far, he hadn't felt this weak in a while.

He nodded slowly, tilting his head to Dave again as he smiled, squeezing his hand between his own.

"I'll hold you to it. I love you so much, baby."

"I love you."


	10. Chapter 10

A few days passed and Dave was finally over his cold. He was so thankful, he could care less about the effects it had on his own body; not being able to breathe through your own nose is always an unpleasant feeling, but more than anything, he was just so grateful he could finally be in the same room as his love.

His room for the week while he was out of commission was at the farthest end of the hall, and yet he was still able to hear Klaus suffering through his illness alone the last few nights. It was _killing_ Dave to not be able to be there, to hold him and comfort him through his sickness. He laid outside Klaus's bedroom door one night, attempting to encourage and comfort his love through the crack beneath the door.

"I'm right here, baby, you're okay. Take deep breaths, Klaus. God, I'm right here, you're okay, you're okay."

Dave couldn't hold back his tears when he'd heard the heart wrenching sound of Klaus crying and whimpering; praying out loud for his pain and nausea to please, just stop. It killed him to hear Klaus repeating the same mantra over, and over, and over again...

"God, please..I'm just so tired, so fucking tired...please make it stop..ow, God, why..fuck, please...please..."

The moment that Dave was medically cleared as no longer being a threat to Klaus's health he literally ran to him; scooping is weary frame into his arms without hesitation. Klaus was beyond exhausted. Dave could tell by his sweaty pale appearance, he'd probably not slept a wink since he started back on his chemotherapy. Dave lifted Klaus into his arms, cradling him against his broad chest while he pressed his lips to his temple. Klaus tiredly wrapped his arms around Dave's neck, nuzzling his forehead into the warmth of the nook between his neck and shoulder.

Klaus couldn't contain his emotions any longer; as soon as he was in Dave's embrace, the dam he had built around his heart to staunch his feelings instantly burst. He shuddered against Dave's tender touch, hot tears streaming down his pale face as Dave held him, soothing him and reminding him just how much he loved him. Klaus was just so goddamn happy to be back in his arms, he missed his love so goddamn much.

"I missed you so much," Klaus whispered against the exposed skin of Dave's neck. Dave tightened his grip on Klaus's weak frame, kissing his forehead, his cheek, his nose; anywhere and everywhere he could mark him with his love.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you when you needed me most. I love you so much, darlin."

"You're here, now." Another tear slid down Klaus's cheek as he trembled within his love's steady arms. His lips quivered when he pressed them against Dave's jaw line. Klaus's body shook with tremors, Dave knew he'd had another awful sleepless night.

_He desperately needed to try to rest..._

"You poor thing, let's get you to bed."

He brought Klaus upstairs and settled him down comfortably on his mattress, before sliding in bed beside him. He wrapped Klaus in his arms, cradling him against the warmth of his broad chest. He wrapped the blankets firmly around him to try to chase the cold away from his love's chilled bones.

Klaus groaned, his stomach pain flaring up again. He wrenched his eyes closed as he exhaled a pained whimper. Dave ran his fingers through Klaus's hair to soothe him, before nuzzling his cheek to Klaus's forehead.

"Shh, baby it's okay. Just breathe through it. Deep breaths, in through your nose, out through your mouth." Klaus did as he was told.

Thankfully, the pain quickly faded. Klaus clutched his left hand into the blanket above Dave's chest, pressing himself as close to Dave as he could physically manage. He missed this so much; his warmth, his presence, his kind and loving soul. Dave held Klaus; he pressed his lips against his love's, which Klaus found the strength to reciprocate back. Dave continued to hold Klaus, humming soothing melodies to him until he was able to blissfully fall asleep - comfortable and safe within his loves arms.

Weeks passed by and every day became a different battle for Klaus...

He had days where he felt rather okay. Days where Klaus actually had enough strength to spend time with Dave and his siblings. They'd have game nights, and cookouts. He even had days where he could actually eat without vomiting. But Klaus also had bad days; days where he would be so weak that he struggled to find the strength to even get out of bed.

Klaus's aplastic anemia flared dangerously again at the end of August. He'd just had one of his best days in a while the day before. He and Dave went on a rare date to the movies, before returning home and having a cookout in the courtyard under the large grandfather oak in the Far East corner with their family.

He actually had an appetite that day, and was able to enjoy half of a BBQ chicken thigh before he got too full and Dave had to finish it for him. Diego brought out a stereo system and was playing party music so they could all dance. The music was loud, and upbeat; a variety of R&B, Rock and Alternative music filling the air around them. Everyone was dancing and singing, having a blast, just enjoying each others company.

Dave held Klaus tightly against himself, one hand pressed against the small of his back, the other tangled into the hair at the nape of his neck. They held their foreheads pressed together, as they slow danced together. Their moves didn't match the fast paced music, but they were stuck in this moment, happily being in each others loving arms. Everything else faded away; the music, the vibrations of the electric personalities surrounding them—all that lingered in that moment was them; Klaus and Dave, in a beautiful moment of pure love, enjoying each other in their own private dance. They never wanted that magical moment to end.

_Unfortunately, it did..._

After their dance Klaus began to feel a little dizzy and nauseous, so Dave assisted him back inside. Once there, they found themselves to be trapped in the bathroom for nearly four hours. Klaus was utterly exhausted after, he was drenched in sweat, and complained of a migraine. He requested Dave to help him to bed. The two men slept for a few hours before Klaus woke up feeling strange. His heart was pounding rapidly against his rib cage, and he couldn't quite catch his breath. He felt like he'd just ran a marathon. He was so dizzy, and so tired.

_He just felt to weak..._

"Babe," Klaus weakly squeezed Dave's hand that was already clutched within his own.

"Baby, wake up..please.." Klaus's voice was so soft it was nearly inaudible. It wasn't until he cried out in pain that Dave awoke.

"Darlin, what is it, what's wrong?" Dave turned towards Klaus, cupping his fever flushed cheek within his calloused palm. Klaus's shaky hand wrapped around his wrist as he groaned, panting to catch his breath.

"I..I don't feel well, babe..h..hospital." He wrenched his eyes shut as a whimper escaped his lips. Dave wasted no time in hurriedly bundling Klaus into his arms, before quickly making his way out of the bedroom and down the hall towards the stairwell. Diego was in the hall heading towards his own room to turn in for the night when Dave spotted him.

"Diego, help me, please, Klaus needs to go to the hospital!"

The three men quickly made it to the car.

Klaus's iron levels had dropped dangerously low once again, forcing him to need yet another blood transfusion.

_It just seemed to happen so suddenly…_

One moment, they were dancing together, enjoying a beautiful day relishing one another amongst their family; and the next, he was so incredibly sick and suddenly in critical condition.

Dave hated this so much. His poor love didn't deserve all of this pain.

"I'm just happy Klaus finally took my advice and listened to his body. Had he chosen to ignore his symptoms, or continued to sleep through the night, he may not have made it until morning."

Once again, Klaus needed a 10-unit transfusion, and needed to lay in that hospital bed for twenty four hours.

Once again, he had to stay in the hospital for four days afterwards to monitor his health.

Once again, he needed to stop taking his chemotherapy for two weeks...

Last time, Klaus felt so much better during those two weeks, even though the fear was always in the back of their minds that his cancer would spread during the break.

This time around, however, Klaus's health was a rollercoaster. Some days he would have great highs, acting almost himself again. He would play pranks on his siblings, and try to be more romantic with Dave; even attempting to get more physical if his energy allowed.

But other days, his dizzy spells would be so severe, he could barely stand or function. His nausea thankfully went away during the hiatus of his chemo, which allowed him to get ample amounts of rest. However, he seemed to sleep a lot more than usual.

One day, towards the beginning of September, a few days before he was set to start his chemo back up, Dave held Klaus in his welcoming embrace while he slept for an entire day. They'd both gone to bed the night before around 10:00PM. Dave awoke around 7:00 in the morning. He untangled his limbs from Klaus to use the restroom before returning and resuming his position against his love.

_Klaus never stirred..._

It wasn't until nearly 7:30 that night that his eyes finally fluttered and opened. Dave looked to his love worriedly, he'd never seen him sleep so long. During his entire illness, he did tend to sleep for longer shifts when he could find the chance; but to sleep for twenty one hours? That was a scary long amount of time for someone to be unconscious...

Dave ran his fingers through Klaus's hair, pushing his curls away from his exhausted face as he looked his love in his eyes.

"Hey, baby," Dave whispered, "how are you feeling, are you okay?" He pressed the back of his hand to Klaus's cheek, moving his palm to his forehead to check his temperature, before settling his fingers into the hair at the nape of his clammy neck.

Klaus's eyes were hooded into a drowsy gaze, they were glossy and just looked so tired still.

"M'fine..sleepy, s'all."

Dave smiled sadly at his love as he nodded. He pressed his lips against his forehead and pulled his form tighter against his chest, just savoring every ounce of his presence. A few more days passed, and Klaus's health continued to elevate into glorious peaks, before plummeting into heartbreaking valleys. Dave and his siblings did everything in their power to comfort him, take his mind away from how terrible he felt on his bad days, and keep him entertained on his good days.

It was the second week of September, and while the season hadn't officially turned to fall quite yet, the weather was already beginning to morph and change; the leaves were already turning into glorious shades of golden, orange, and red hues, and the air was already much cooler and beautifully crisp.

Dave remembered Klaus telling him that fall had always been his favorite time of the year. He decided that before Klaus had to start his chemo back up, he would treat his love to a special outing. Lord knows Klaus deserved and earned a special date, no stress or worries to tie them down. Klaus deserved a special treat, and Dave couldn't wait to show him the surprise that Klaus's siblings helped him plan.

This was going to be a beautiful and special moment for the both of them.

"Baby, wake up." Dave gently kissed Klaus's forehead as he ran his hand up and down his exposed arm to try to wake him. It was already nearing noon; following another long night of rest. Klaus groaned before peeling his weary eyes open. He smiled at Dave, burying his forehead under his chin.

"Five more minutes, baby," Dave softly giggled before kissing Klaus's curls.

"I already gave you twenty. Wake up sweetheart, we have a big day ahead of us."

Klaus planted his palm against Dave's bare chest, massaging his thumb against his soft skin as he tilted his head back to peer into his loves eyes.

"We do?"

Dave chuckled and kissed his nose.

"We do. Now come on, let's get up."

Dave helped Klaus get out of bed. He swayed dizzily as he stood, but Dave braced his palm against the small of his back to steady him. Klaus didn't seem too bad off today, though, so that was reassuring.

Dave helped Klaus take a hot bath, and washed his hair before drying him off and getting him dressed. He was sure to dress him in warm clothes; a comfortable thick pair of teal velvet joggers, and long sleeved black turtleneck. He wrapped his frame in his favorite patch work jacket, with the fur cuffs and trim.

"This hardly matches, dear." Klaus giggled tiredly as he shrugged the jacket closer against his frame, slipping his socked feet into a pair of black boots. Dave just smiled as he rubbed his shoulders, sneaking a kiss from his perfect lips.

"Doesn't matter for where we are going, as long as it's comfortable and warm."

"Well, it's definitely that. I'm sweltering." Klaus tugged at the neckline of his turtleneck, raising his eyebrows and sticking his tongue out to the side in his usual dramatic display. Dave couldn't help but chuckle as he laced his fingers into Klaus's and lead him out of the two boys made their way to the end of the hall, and down the stairs before Dave stopped walking, causing Klaus to stop as well.

"Close your eyes, darlin. I have a surprise for you."

Klaus's smile grew unimaginably wide as he quickly closed his eyes.

"Oh, I love surprises!" Dave smiled and pulled Klaus into his arms as they walked outside. He opened the door to a vehicle and gently dispensed Klaus into the plush passenger seat. He strapped his seat belt around his waist, before making his way around to the drivers side door.

"Okay, you can open them."

Klaus opened his eyes and realized he was in an unfamiliar vehicle—it was an old truck.

"Like it? It's a 1960 Chevy Apache, aqua and white. I used to own one just like this." Dave ran his fingertips over the tan leather on the dash. Klaus smiled, looking at Dave's exuberant face. He could see how much joy this old truck brought him.

"It's beautiful, babe. Where did you find it?" Dave smiled at Klaus as he gripped the steering wheel into both hands, his fingers falling back into the familiar places he used to grip his own so long ago.

"Five found it. He told me he'd always admired vintage vehicles, said they were classics. I agreed, and told him about my old truck, Betty-Lou," He ran his palms around the perimeter of the steering wheel. "I couldn't believe my eyes when he found it. Looks just like my old girl did; handles like her, too."

Klaus smiled as he reached across the cab of the truck, he ran his fingers through Dave's short dirty blonde curls before resting his palm against the nape of his neck.

"She's beautiful, babe. We could call her Betty-Lou Two..oh, or Betty-Lou Who!" Klaus chuckled about the Grinch reference, earning Dave to laugh as well.

"She ain't no Christmas elf, babe." Klaus let out a breathy laugh.

"They weren't elves, Dave! They're..well, they're who's!" Dave laughed as he leaned across the front seat, pulling Klaus into his arms as he stole himself a kiss.

"You're too precious, darlin." Klaus just smiled as he planted another chaste kiss against Dave's lips, nuzzling his nose against his.

Dave started the old truck, the engine firing up as the loud rumble of the old, classic engine roared to life. Klaus tapped the dash excitedly with his flattened HELLO palm.

"Listen to that baby purr!" Klaus exclaimed in his best exaggerated southern accent. Dave laughed; ruffling the curls on Klaus's head before shifting the gears into drive, and pulling out of the driveway.

They drove for quite some time, the steady low hum of the engine and bumps in the road jostled Klaus in his seat. He closed his eyes trying to swallow down the queasy feeling in his stomach. He didn't know why, but he kept getting sharp pains in his belly again, similar to the one he felt while Dave was sick. They hurt so badly, but he couldn't ruin their special date. He would just have to grin and bear it for now; and he was fine with that. It wasn't anything he couldn't handle, it was just a little discomfort that came and went in waves. He would be fine; he _was_ fine. Klaus grew tired so he leaned his head against the passenger side window, allowing his eyes to slip shut. He had his left leg crossed over his right knee, his arms wrapped around his midsection. Dave kept glancing at his love to ensure he was alright, and also just to admire him. He just looked so cute all bundled up in this old classic truck. Klaus always was a beautiful sight to see.

Nearly two hours into their journey, they arrived at their destination. Dave parked the truck and allowed Klaus to continue to rest while he got to work on setting the mood for their special date.

Dave couldn't wait to share this beautiful moment with his love.

—-

"Klaus, darlin, wake up. I have something special to show you."

When Klaus opened his eyes, the sun was already beginning to set, the afterglow of its rays barely illuminating the gorgeous pink and blue sky. He rubbed his eyes tiredly with the heels of his palms before stretching and sitting up. Dave eased him out of the truck, supporting him when he clumsily took a step.

"Easy, baby. Nice and slow. We have all the time in the world." Klaus wrapped his arms around Dave's waist to steady himself. His nap left him feeling less rejuvenated than he'd hoped; in fact, it left him feeling rather woozy. However, he wasn't going to let that ruin his night. He knew Dave worked hard to plan this special evening for the two of them, and he would be damned if he would allow himself to ruin it. Dave guided Klaus around the back of the vehicle before stopping at the tail end of the truck bed.

"Surprise, baby!" Klaus's eyes widened in amazement; his lips twitching into a subtle smile, before spreading, a wide grin adorning his tired features.

They were parked on a lake; the beautiful sunset was reflecting upon the still waters, offering the boys the most stunning viewing of the world around them. Klaus's Jaw dropped in amazement as he took in his surroundings; Dave strung fairy lights from the canopies of the trees surrounding them, casting their intimate little camping spot in a warm and whimsical glow. He had a fire going, chasing away the cool air that Klaus undoubtedly felt upon his exit from the truck. Dave filled the truck bed with a plethora of thick blankets, quilts, and pillows. It looked so welcoming, so inviting and soft. A tear slid down Klaus's cheek as his lips began to quiver.

No one had ever done anything like this for him his entire life. This was so magical, so romantic, so beautiful. Klaus still couldn't fathom how Dave could be so amazing, and so sweet. He didn't understand how he got so lucky to have this wonderful, caring, perfect man.

"Wow, baby..this is..it's beautiful." Dave smiled as he tightened his grip around Klaus's waist. He pressed his lips to his curls as he gently rocked him in his arms.

"I've always wanted to treat my special someone to a magical evening, such as this. I've wanted this for you since I met you, darlin."

"I love it. This is amazing, baby. You did all of this, for me? By yourself?" Dave laughed as he nodded.

"Sure did. It wasn't hard, darlin. I'm glad I could do it. Now, come on, you're shivering. Let's get you bundled up by the fire, yeah?" Klaus hadn't noticed he was so cold until now. He nodded, following Dave towards the fire.

Dave sat on the trucks tailgate and extended his hand to Klaus to help him up. Klaus laid his free hand on the bed and lifted his leg to climb onto the truck; however he wavered, stumbling back. He just didn't have the strength to hoist himself into the lifted truck bed.

Dave's face fell as he dismounted the truck. He wrapped his arms around Klaus's slender waist and lifted him, gently seating him on the tailgate. Klaus dizzily swayed from the action, but Dave steadied him by his shoulders before peering into his tired eyes.

"You alright, darlin?"

Honestly, Klaus felt rather lightheaded. He'd been experiencing those uncomfortable stabbing stomach pains again all day today, but didn't want to worry Dave or ruin their special evening. He just attributed it to him being tired, that was all. Besides, it wasn't like that wasn't the truth, Klaus was tired, exhausted, really.

"Just tired. M'fine, really." He smiled weakly as Dave sat beside him on the tailgate. Klaus leaned heavily against Dave's steady warm embrace, burying his head between his shoulder and neck. Dave tightened his grip around his love, pressing his lips against his curls.

They sat like that for some time, just savoring each other's presence and embrace, watching the fading rays of the sun slowly dip beneath the horizon, blanketing the boys in the warm glow of their twinkling fairy lights, and the welcoming heat from the fire. The two talked for hours; Reminiscing on memories from Vietnam, and spoke of Dave's childhood. He told Klaus how he and Five had a rather lovely bonding moment over the truck. Five even helped him tune up the engine and change the oil. Klaus laughed imagining his smallest yet somehow oldest sibling being caked in oil and grease working on an old truck with his fiancé. He smiled at the thought.

Klaus told Dave how he'd started to notice his hair falling out in the shower. He said he'd noticed that thick clumps would be entangled around his fingers, much more than he'd usually shed. He was worried, even though he'd been off the chemo for nearly two weeks again, it scared him to think that once he went back on it, his hair may fall out more and more. Dave could see how much this upset Klaus. He ran his fingers through his hair as he kissed his temple.

"Still plenty thick up there, darlin. But even if not, you'll always be beautiful and perfect to me." Klaus smiled as he nodded, a tear slipping down his hollowed cheek. He quickly hid it against the fabric of Dave's jacket.

The embers of the fire were fading, slowly crackling into a dull flame. Dave got up to stoke the fire by adding more dry wood to it, allowing the flame to once again grow into a brilliant heat surrounding the two lovers. When Dave sat back on the tailgate with Klaus, he felt his tired frame shivering against him.

"Darlin, you're freezing. Let's get you to bed." Klaus could only nod in response, his eyes were clenched shut as his teeth chattered. He was just so tired and cold. He was ready to curl up under the blankets in Dave's warm embrace, surrounded by the heat of his body pressed against his own and the fire. He couldn't imagine anything else he'd ever wanted more desperately his entire life.

Dave eased Klaus back, maneuvering him further into the cozy bedding of the truck bed. He laid down, cradling Klaus's shuddering form tightly against his side. Klaus draped his arm across Dave's chest, resting his tired head against his shoulder. Dave draped several blankets over top of the two of them, enveloping them in a warm, comforting embrace.

Klaus smiled, releasing a contented sigh at this feeling; Dave's body was a furnace, instantly burning off the cold from his weary bones. Being wrapped in his arms, bundled under layers of blankets with a fire by their feet—Klaus didn't think he'd ever felt more comfortable or loved in his entire life.

"Wow," Dave laid there, one arm wrapped firmly around Klaus, the other resting behind his own head, propping himself against the many pillows. "would you look at that.."

Klaus peeled open his tired eyes and looked at Dave. His eyes were focused on the sky above them, a soft smile tugging at his lips. Klaus followed his loves gaze and instantly he was left in complete and total awe.

The dark night sky was brightly illuminated in a blanket or hundreds and thousands or stars, stretching as far as the eye could see. The moon was massive and full. Klaus and Dave stared at the sky in amazement—the view was breathtaking.

"I haven't seen the stars like that since Vietnam." Klaus said tiredly.

"It really is a beautiful sight." The two lovers laid like that, relishing each others touch, basking in the beauty of the starlit sky. A shooting star shot across the horizon, it's reflection mirroring across the placid lake.

"Wow, baby, did you see that?"

"A shooting star.." Klaus whispered. His eyes were drooping as his exhaustion took him over.

"They say if you wish upon a shooting star, it comes true," Dave started with a crooked smile. "what are you going to wish for, darlin?"

He peered down to Klaus only to see he was already asleep, his lips parted as his slow steady breaths danced across Dave's skin. He smiled affectionately at his love, pressing himself closer to his frame. Dave stared up at the sky with watery eyes.

_And he made a wish..._

He wished that Klaus would find the strength to beat his cancer...

He wished he would get the chance to see his loves beautiful smiling face for many, many more years to come...

And he wished that he would never, ever have to say goodbye to his love...

"Please," He whispered, tears streaming down his face. "please, don't take him away from me."

**Authors Note:** _**Comments are the greatest validation a writer can receive, if you are reading along to this story and still enjoying, please, I humbly ask that you let me know! I would love to hear your lovely thoughts and opinions! Also, what all would you like to see happen in the chapters to come? This chapter is the halfway point for this story, there are only 10 chapters left! We are almost there! Thank you anyone who continues to enjoy this, just know I truly appreciate you all! :)**_


	11. Chapter 11

When Klaus woke up all he felt was _pain_. His belly was in agony; he felt as though someone was stabbing him in his intestines with a hot poker, over and over again, unrelentingly. He knew he'd felt this awful sensation a few times before tonight, back when he'd cooked soup for Dave when he was sick, and on the truck ride out to this beautifully scenic location.

Each of those times the sensation made itself present, causing him to gasp from the sudden discomfort, or pinch his eyes closed and stifle a moan before quickly receding and fading away. This time, however, it showed no sign of ever stopping.

He tried to ignore it at first; clenching his fists into his shirt against his belly and taking deep steadying breaths. He'd recognized this pain, and knew from his past experiences with it that soon it would just go away.

_But it didn't..._

The pain seemed to only grow with intensity as the seconds turned to minutes. Before long, nearly an hour had already passed and that terrible feeling still persisted, continuing its abuse on Klaus's insides. He tried to not wake Dave, as to not worry or frighten him over what he hoped would just be a brief nauseous spell with a bit of a belly ache, but as the sensation growing in his belly continued to worsen, Klaus couldn't contain his discomfort.

_He couldn't ignore the pain any longer..._

Klaus was writhing, his breaths coming in short panicked gasps to try _anything_ he could to dull that awful feeling in his stomach. His eyes were screwed shut, but hot tears still managed to slip through, tumbling down his flushed cheeks. He'd gasp, a muffled pained cry leaving his trembling lips before he'd suck in another breath, just for another groan or cry to escape his throat.

It was terrible, it just hurt so badly. Klaus was in so much _pain_. He didn't understand why, or what was causing it, or why it wouldn't just go away. He couldn't handle the pain any longer, he knew something must have been wrong, he'd never felt a pain quite like that before.

_It was something entirely new, and it was terrifying to him..._

But, Klaus didn't want to leave, he didn't want to ruin Dave's special night, force him to awaken to take Klaus away from this beautiful, perfect place. But as the pain steadily intensified he knew he had no other choice. He needed Dave to wake up, he needed to leave, he needed to go home, or to the hospital. _Anything_.

_Whatever would take his pain away and make it all stop..._

"Baby.." His voice was soft, yet strained. A strong wave of pain washed over him as he adjusted so he was facing Dave. His limbs shook uncontrollably; from what anymore, he was unsure. The cold, the pain, his own fear? He didn't know. All he knew was that he needed to do everything in his power to try to wake Dave.

Klaus was so _tired..._

So _weak..._

_He was just in so much pain..._

"B-babe, please..." Another pained gasp burst through his teeth. God, why wouldn't it stop?

"Dave...help..I need..." Klaus started to feel lightheaded, his unbearable pain was draining him of what little vital energy he had. His vision was beginning to cut in and out. He doubled over, a surge of pain ripping his insides out once more before he peeled his eyes open and looked to Dave. He sucked in a breath, two, three..

"Babe, I—" The pain caused him to cry out.

Dave alerted to the sound of his discomfort; his eyes shot open as he turned to Klaus. As soon as he saw his pained expression, he immediately knew something wasn't right.

"Babe? What is it, what's wrong?" His hands were on Klaus, feeling his cheeks to gauge his temperature. Klaus just gasped again, as another tear slid down his cheek.

"Talk to me baby, tell me what's—" Klaus's hands quickly cupped his mouth as nausea encompassed him. He groaned, trying to hold the bile back.

Dave watched as he started to heave and quickly adjusted so his arms were around Klaus, gently helping him to sit up. Dave guided Klaus's figure to the side of the truck. They made it just in time for Klaus to retch, painfully heaving over the side of the bed onto the earth below. Dave watched Klaus as he clutched at his belly, crying and screaming out in agony after every painful heave. He watched as he struggled to take his next breath, before nearly being choked by his own vomit. Dave was terrified; he'd seen Klaus sick countless times before during his illness, but he'd never seen him quite like this, it was an entirely new low.

_He was trembling so hard, he was just so sick..._

"Breathe, baby, you're okay.." Dave tried to soothe but Klaus started coughing, painful sounding hacks accompanied by more heaving.

"H..hurts.." He rasped out, followed by a hiss and groan.

"What hurts, baby? You need to tell me!"

Klaus's body tensed when an extreme jolt of pain radiated through his abdomen. He threw his head back; a guttural scream burst from his lips.

"What hurts!"

"S-stomach...so-so bad." He cried out again, tears streaming freely down his face.

Klaus's eyes fluttered as his energy began to fade, and his body started to slump. Dave latched onto him, pulling his drowsy form into his arms. Klaus was conscious, but fading quickly.

Dave didn't know what to do, but he knew he needed to act fast. Klaus desperately needed a doctor, _now_. Dave hastily shimmied himself and Klaus out of the bed of the truck before rushing him to the passenger side door. Dave threw the door open and gently set Klaus down inside the vehicle. Klaus's agonized body tensed as a whimper escaped his lips.

"You're okay, baby. You're okay. I'm going to get you help." Dave fastened Klaus's seat belt around his waist before closing his door and dashing to the drivers side. He threw the key into the ignition, before slamming the gears into drive. Dave stepped on the gas pedal, flooring it down the road.

Klaus's head toppled against the headrest as he clenched his eyes shut, his fists twisted into the fabric of his shirt above his ailing belly. He was gasping for air, crying out in pain. Dave held onto his hand in an attempt to comfort and reassure his love.

He didn't know what to do.

They were at least a two hour drive from the hospital where Klaus had been treated his entire battle with cancer, he would need to take him somewhere else.

Wherever was closest.

He hopped onto the interstate and gunned it down the highway, keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of a Hospital or urgent care clinic that would be open at this hour. Anything would have to do, Klaus desperately needed help!

"Take deep breaths, baby." Dave inhaled deeply before exhaling in demonstration as he quickly glanced at Klaus. Klaus's eyes were closed and his painful cries were quieting down as his energy continued to fade.

"Stay with me, baby. Don't go to sleep. Please, stay with me." He shook Klaus's form to try to keep him conscious, he didn't know if he should sleep in his condition. Klaus didn't respond to his pleas.

"Come on, baby! Please! Stay with me! Just stay with me!" He continued to shake Klaus, tears streaming down his face when he finally spotted a hospital sign.

Dave careened the truck across three lanes of oddly busy traffic for the early hours of the morning to make the exit. When they pulled up to the hospital, Dave threw the truck into park before ripping his own seatbelt off of his body. He ran out of the truck to Klaus's side, scooping him into his arms and running him in through the emergency entrance.

"Please! Please, help! Somebody!"

A nurse approached them as soon as they entered and helped Dave lower Klaus's body into a wheelchair. She wasted no time in bringing Klaus back to be seen, welcoming Dave to follow.

"Sir, are you family?" She asked, wheeling Klaus into a room down the long hall.

"He's my fiancé. We were having a special date night on the lake. He has cancer, we are too far from home, but something is wrong! Please, please you have to help him!" The nurse smiled sadly at Dave as she placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Okay, sweetie, what kind of cancer does he have? Is he currently on any type of medication or treatment?"

"Pancreatic—stage two. He was on chemo, but he has aplastic anemia. He needed a blood transfusion, he's supposed to start his chemo back up on Wednesday. He usually sees Dr. Eric Thomas at 's Hospital. I don't know what's wrong with him, he's never acted anything like this before." The nurse nodded her head at Dave's words.

"Okay, we will contact 's, get ahold of his records. We need to run some tests on him, you can stay in here, alright? The doctor will be in shortly." Dave took a seat in the chair in the room as the nurse wheeled Klaus out of the doors and down the hall to be examined.

_All he could do now was wait..._

Dave's mind was racing. All of Klaus's bouts of illness, from when he first started his withdrawals, to when he was first diagnosed with his cancer, even when he was struck down with his severe aplastic anemia; he'd _never_ been this bad off.

Dave had never seen Klaus in so much pain, he was so scared. What could this mean? Was it his anemia again? Something else, something _worse_? He didn't know what to make of this, he just knew he hated it, and he wished he could do something more for his love.

Dave rubbed his palms down his face to wipe at his tears. He needed to calm down, compose himself. Maybe it just appeared worse than it was? He only hoped that would be the case; for Klaus's sake.

—-

Klaus was wheeled back into the room that Dave was waiting in two hours later. He was unconscious, and looked absolutely awful. The nurse informed Dave that they'd gotten ahold of , Klaus's regular oncologist, and he was willing to drive out to check on him.

As it turned out, was on call, and oftentimes would frequent this hospital. He was more than willing to personally come and see to his care. He informed the team at Radiant Springs Hospital what tests he wanted them to perform in the meantime while they waited for him to arrive.

They'd ran his blood panels, an MRI and a CT scan on Klaus, trying to pinpoint what was causing his pain. He was exhausted after; from the pain, and just everything happening around him.

Thankfully, the pain seemed to have finally ceased.

Dave helped the nurse by getting Klaus into the bed. He wrapped the blanket around his slumbering form, as he ran his fingers through his hair.

_He hated how frail Klaus looked..._

His weight dropped quite a lot those first few months after his cancer diagnosis. He hadn't noticed it at all, really, until his third week on the chemotherapy medication.

Now, though, Klaus was months into his diagnosis, months into his treatments, and months into not being able to hold anything down on most days, and it showed. Dave remembered the first time he noticed a significant difference in Klaus's weight. They were getting ready to bring Klaus to the hospital for his blood tests, and Klaus decided to wear his favorite leather pants; the ones with the lacing on the sides. Klaus knew how much Dave liked the way he looked in them, and he was having a good day; feeling more like himself, he just wanted to make Dave happy...

But, he slipped the pants on and the fabric hung loosely from his form. The waistline sagging, drooping down without the assistance of a belt. Dave realized that even Klaus hadn't noticed how much weight he'd dropped by the look on his face. It broke his heart to watch his loves smile fade as his heart sunk; Klaus dropped the pants off of his frame and elected to just wear some baggy sweatpants.

It hurt Dave's soul to see Klaus just accept that he'd lost too much weight to wear his usual favorite attire, and just move on, like it was normal.

_Like it was okay..._

Seeing him lying in that hospital bed now, it just really brought into perspective just how frail and sickly his love had truly become. He was so pale, and his face so gaunt in appearance. His skin was waxy, and slicked in sweat. He didn't look well at all.

_He wasn't well..._

The nurse left them alone while she waited for the results of the tests to be run, as well as wait for Dr. Thomas' arrival. So Dave took the opportunity to situate himself next to Klaus on the bed.

_Dave just needed to hold him in his arms, and remind himself that Klaus was still there..._

He prayed that Klaus could continue to be there, with Dave, among the living. He couldn't bear the idea of Klaus's health worsening.

_He couldn't handle the thought of ever needing to say goodbye..._

Dave held Klaus's delicate frame against his chest. He wrapped his arms around him, holding onto him as though his touch was a life line, tethering him to this world. He couldn't live without that man, he needed him. He loved him far too much to ever let him go.

Dave pressed his lips against Klaus's curls, just breathing him in. He closed his eyes and just stayed there, intertwined with his love.

_He couldn't say goodbye..._

—-

"Hello boys, we really need to stop meeting like this." Dr. Thomas smiled at them as he entered the room.

Dave returned his smile, although his was much more somber. Klaus was still asleep in Dave's embrace.

"It happened so fast, Dr. Thomas. He was doing so well all day, then it just changed. It was so scary. I was scared." Dave wiped at his eyes as more tears threatened to fall. Dr. Thomas nodded at Dave. He knew how scary this all must have been for him.

"I understand. Would you like to wake him? We can all go over the results together." Dave nodded as he gently traced the warm pad of his thumb down Klaus's hollowed cheek.

"Baby, wake up." Klaus groaned, pinching his eyes tighter before opening them into groggy slits.

"Hello, Klaus. How are you feeling, any better? You gave everyone quite the scare." Klaus groaned as he straightened his posture, draping his hand over his ailing belly while sitting up on the bed beside Dave. Dave wrapped his arm around him, gently rubbing soothing circles on his bony back.

"A little." Dr. Thomas smiled as he nodded.

"Good, good. I'm glad to hear it. As you know, the staff here ran some labs I requested them to, just so we could pinpoint what's happening and check all of your levels." He flipped through the clipboard as he adjusted his glasses on his nose. "Your iron levels appear to be rather stable at a healthy level, so that's good. However," Dr. Thomas laid his clipboard down on his lap as he sat up in his seat.

"Klaus, I'm terribly sorry to say this; I know you've had a rough go since your diagnosis, and you've had many setbacks with your treatment. I'm afraid, according to your latest CT scan, the cancer cells have spread to the blood vessels surrounding your pancreas, as well as to two more lymph nodes. Im very sorry—it appears that your cancer has advanced to stage three."

Dave and Klaus sat there in complete silence.

What did he mean?

His cancer progressed to stage three? It was supposed to be shrinking, going away— _not advancing_. Klaus was supposed to be getting better, not getting _worse_!

"I'm sorry to say, but your cancer is very aggressive. However, so are we. I believe the next step we must take to regain some control over this illness is to continue the chemotherapy come Wednesday. That being said, I think it's time we introduce radiation therapy, as well."

"Radiation, that's the one you said could be painful, right?" Klaus didn't know if he could handle any more pain. He couldn't believe this was happening to him.

"Unfortunately, yes. It absolutely can be rather uncomfortable at times. The treatment itself is rather simple; painless, and quick. The procedure is similar to that of an X-Ray. It would be performed five days a week for several weeks, each treatment lasts anywhere from fifteen to twenty minutes. It can, however, leave painful skin irritations and burns around the treatment site. In your case, your abdomen and chest. It won't be pleasant, however, at this rate, I think it's medically necessary that we proceed with the combination of chemotherapy and radiation treatments."

_Klaus was in shock, he just felt so defeated..._

For months he'd been following his strict chemotherapy regimen, aside from when his health wouldn't allow him to. He was so angry that he couldn't seem to ever catch a break. He was not ready to accept the fact that his cancer was heading the wrong direction; advancing instead of receding. He wasn't ready to even acknowledge the fact that he now had stage three pancreatic cancer. He couldn't help the dread he was feeling in his chest.

What if the chemo continued to fail him?

What if the radiation had no effect on the cancer cells?

What if his cancer just continued to flourish, and grow, and spread until his entire body was filled with cancerous lesions?

What if he became terminal, and _died_?

Honestly, death had never been a true fear of Klaus's. He'd been surrounded by it his entire life, he knew it was there, that it was something that inevitably happened to everyone. While ghosts did frighten him; death was simply a familiar face.

Needing to say goodbye to Dave; to leave him behind—that was the true tragedy in all of this.

_Klaus never wanted to say goodbye, when he felt he'd just barely began to say hello..._

He was afraid of what was to come for him; of what sensations he was going to experience. He was afraid of the nausea he knew was coming with the chemo, and afraid of the unfamiliarity of the radiation. But, he knew if there was any chance of him pulling through this, even if it was the tiniest inkling that he could live, and never leave Dave's side, he was willing to do whatever necessary to ensure that happened.

Klaus grabbed onto Dave's hand, pulling it into his lap as he rested his head against his loves shoulder. He looked to his doctor with a renewed sense of hope in his weary green eyes.

"So, when do we start?"


	12. Chapter 12

Upon returning home from the hospital, Klaus and Dave pulled the entire family into the living room for a family meeting to fill them all in on the news of Klaus's new health concerns, and update them on his cancer. The news of Klaus's cancer spreading hit his family in the gut like a freight train. No one could believe it; no one _wanted_ to believe it. They all were mortified to learn that his treatments so far had been in vain. They were terrified, driven sick with worry and concern that their beloved brother's life was drawing to an end. They all huddled around Klaus; hugging him and offering him their full support, and letting him know that he has never been, nor would he ever be alone during this. That he had each and every single one of them on his side, and they would help him and be there for him through this new battle in every way that they could. They tried to reassure Klaus (and themselves) that he just had to trust in his doctor, trust the process, and believe in his heart that he would be okay.

_He had to be okay..._

Klaus was able to start his radiation therapy that Monday; the day before he started back on his chemotherapy. He woke up early that morning, and Dave brought him to the hospital where they prepped him for the procedure. The prep was the worst part; he had to go the Friday before he started to do a test run. They went over his labs again, had him lay on the treatment platform while they positioned his body, testing to see what position would be most comfortable for him to stay in; as once treatment began, he wasn't allowed to move.

_When Monday rolled around Klaus was as ready as he would ever be..._

Klaus was told he should wear clothes that were cotton and comfortable, so he wore one of Dave's light gray long sleeved shirts and a pair of charcoal gray cotton joggers. The shirt fit him loosely, but having a piece of Dave with him brought him comfort. The doctor examined Klaus before treatment began; marking the spot they needed to focus the beam to shrink the tumors. Dave walked with them to the room, holding Klaus's hand as they went.

Dave helped ease Klaus onto the bed of the machine. The doctor positioned Klaus; using foam sponges to prop his body in the necessary position he needed to stay in. He needed to be completely immobilized for the duration of the procedure. Dave squeezed Klaus's hand reassuringly. He leaned over him, gently raking his fingers through his curls as he pressed his lips to his forehead. Klaus closed his eyes, smiling sadly into the kiss.

"I love you, baby. I'll be right in the other room. You're going to do great." He captured Klaus's lips in a tender kiss.

"I love you."

—-

The first week of treatment Klaus didn't notice much of a difference in the way he was feeling from the radiation therapy. He'd been worried, as the doctor said it could be rather painful. He'd prepared himself for the worst, and was pleasantly surprised when nothing seemed to change. His nausea returned when he started his chemo back up, but he was already used to that. He hoped he'd continue to be lucky and not have to suffer any other side effects.

_Sadly, he wasn't as lucky as he'd hoped..._

The second week into treatments, the skin on his abdomen and chest became inflamed. It was red, and irritated, and had blisters all over that caused him immense discomfort. He figured the rash and blisters would only affect directly above the treatment area; unfortunately, it did not. The painful lesions covered his entire torso, even wrapping around his back.

Anytime he would sit or lay down, he would feel _pain_.

Anytime he would wear clothing that touched the area, he would feel _pain_.

Anytime he would be touched, or hugged, or just fucking _breathe_, he just felt so much _pain_.

_Klaus was so uncomfortable all the time..._

The chemo made him incredibly ill; causing him to vomit frequently, and the radiation gave him a horribly painful physique. Both treatments buried Klaus under a mountain of fatigue. He was constantly sick, incredibly tired, and always in so much pain. He couldn't fucking take it.

"Good morning, baby." Dave rolled over in bed, gently combing his fingers through Klaus's hair as he leaned towards him to kiss his cheek. Klaus hissed in pain; the bed dipped under Dave's weight, causing his irritated skin to uncomfortably rub against the mattress. Dave pulled away, careful not to cause Klaus anymore agony.

"Shit, baby, I'm so sorry!"

Klaus shook his head as he clenched his eyes shut, he took in a deep steadying breath and exhaled. He licked his lips, tilting his head to look at Dave.

"No, it's okay. I'm sorry. Morning, babe. I love you."

"I love you, darlin."

Klaus groaned as he lifted his arm, reaching over and taking Dave's hand into his own, intertwining their fingers together. Dave smiled lovingly at Klaus, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

"Happy Birthday, baby. I love you so much." Klaus smiled softly at Dave's words, swallowing the saliva he had in his mouth. He nodded, squeezing Dave's hand once more.

"Thank you, baby. I love you, too."

Dave helped Klaus get out of bed. It was part of their new morning ritual; Klaus was in too much pain to attempt it himself, so Dave had to physically get him up.

Showering was a painful struggle. Klaus couldn't take a bath, submerging his torso wasn't allowed. So he had to take regular boring old showers. He detested showers, but did as he was told. Dave would accompany him during every shower, as Klaus was often times simply too weak to stand the entire duration without collapsing. Dave showering with him was the only perk to this whole situation. It was nice having Dave just hold him, press his body against his own as best as he could when his energy would fade. Dave's delicate touch rubbing the special soap Klaus was forced to use on his abdomen, with such a soft and tender touch into his skin. It still caused Klaus immense pain, but he didn't mind it, as long as he had Dave.

Drying off after the shower was always tricky. It didn't matter how plush the towel was, it always felt like sandpaper scraping over his sores on his skin. Dave took great care in attempting to make the process as quick and painless as he could, though. Dave always massaged Klaus's tender skin with the special lotion he was required to use on the radiation treatment site. It was supposed to lessen the effects of the burning painful sensation, and help keep his skin hydrated and supple so no further blisters or cracking of the skin would occur. Neither men were sure if it helped, but they were willing to give anything a try.

Dave helped Klaus get dressed after his shower. His painful skin irritation spread down under his waistline, so wearing much of anything was always painful. They opted to wear no underwear and just have him wear his softest pair of sweatpants he owned. Dave let him wear one of his hoodies; that way Klaus didn't have to wear a shirt. He could zip it up for cover since he was cold, or unzip it if the pain became too unbearable.

Dave took Klaus's hand and walked with him downstairs into the living room. The trek was slow; each step incredibly taxing on Klaus's body. His fatigue was crippling; causing him to always feel lightheaded and dizzy. He was always so exhausted. As soon as they made it downstairs Klaus had to sit down to rest. He needed to close his eyes, at least for a few minutes, just long enough to get the room to stop spinning. Dave sat on the couch beside him, holding his hand.

"Happy Birthday, Klaus!" Klaus's eyes opened, meeting Vanya's exuberant smile. She was setting a Birthday cake down on the coffee table. He smiled tiredly at his sister.

"Happy Birthday, Van. Cake looks good, did you make it?" Vanya's lips quirked into a smile as she shook her head.

"I wish. Unfortunately, I was not blessed with the cooking gene, like you."

Diego, Luther and Allison entered the living room next. Diego was holding pizza delivery boxes, Luther was holding cases of soda, and Allison had bags of chips. Five flashed in shortly after, carrying a large pot of soup—Klaus figured that must have been for him.

"Happy Birthday, Klaus!" They all chimed as they entered. Klaus smiled, tenderly waving his HELLO hand at his siblings, the motion tugged painfully at his abdominal skin, causing him to wince.

"Happy Birthday, guys. Wow, major party vibes. Decided to go all out this year, huh?"

"We thought it was a good year to begin a tradition. We never got the opportunity to celebrate our entire lives, we figured, it was about time we changed that." Luther stated, setting the sodas down beside the cake on the coffee table.

"Oh, why the change of heart?" Klaus raised his eyebrows in question.

"We just want to celebrate. Besides, Dave's here now, too. We never got to give him his party, right bro?" Said Diego, shooting Dave a smirk.

"Hmm, of course. That's it. Doesn't have anything to do with me being sick, does it?"

The room grew silent.

Klaus smiled sadly as he bobbed his head in a nod.

"Ah, right, so it does have to do with that. You know guys, this is unnecessary."

"Babe, it was my idea," Dave began, "you all deserve a little positive vibes. Time to relax, and just spend time together. Enjoy each other, celebrate each other. You made such a big deal out of my birthday, so much so that you made yourself sick over it. Please, just enjoy this. For them, for you, for me?" Klaus nodded squeezing Dave's hand tighter as he shot him a crooked half smile.

"Alright, fine," He turned to his siblings, wagging a finger at them, "but no funny business, alright? No fussing over me, I'm fine. I expect to see genuine excitement and joy here, people." He clapped his hands together, hissing from the pain it brought him, but continued on pushing through his discomfort. He wouldn't allow himself to ruin their birthday celebration.

"Chop, chop. I see no dancing!" His siblings all laughed before starting up the music.

Diego was attempting to teach his siblings how to do the floss dance. Luther struggled to do so sheerly based on his large proportions, while Allison picked it up rather quickly. Five and Vanya were both horribly uncoordinated when it came to dancing. Klaus couldn't help but smile and laugh as he watched.

"What an odd dance move. I'm much more accustomed to the twist." Dave laughed, running his fingers through his short dirty blonde curls. Klaus smiled, exhaling a soft laugh as he tilted his head to peer at his fiancé.

"Well, Babe. I'd love to see that. You should teach them some of the classics!"

"Nah, I'd rather just watch them make fools out of themselves." Klaus let out a breathy laugh before wincing from the pain it flared in his belly.

"Aw, come on babe, please?" Klaus pouted. "I'd pay good money to see that! My man teaching my siblings the proper way to move? Ah, I'm moist just picturing it." He swooned. Dave laughed as he rubbed delicate circles in the back of Klaus's hand.

"I'd much rather demonstrate with you." Dave said earning a genuine smile from Klaus.

"The twist may be a bit difficult for me right now, too much," He paused, running his hands down his abdomen, "_motion_. Maybe we could show them our old fave—the swim watusi?" Dave smirked, standing up and extending his hand out to Klaus.

"You're sure you're up to it?" Klaus grabbed onto Dave's hand, they worked together to get him upright.

"I'm always up to dancing with you."

The two made it out onto the 'dance floor'

"Clear the way, you guys are about to learn what real dancing looks like!" Klaus joked as they situated themselves in the middle of the floor before his siblings, "This move was our go-to back in 'Nam, we give you, drum roll please!" Klaus pointed towards his siblings, they laughed and all started slapping their palms against their thighs, mimicking a drumroll. "The swim watusi!"

The siblings all shared a look, having no idea what dance he was referring to. Five just folded his arms across his chest, raising an eyebrow with a knowing smirk on his face.

"This ought to be good."

Dave and Klaus smiled, facing one another. Both men started swaying their hips from side to side, swinging their arms over their heads, like they were swimming.

"Do what you wanna, or do like you wish, now come on baby, now, and swim like a fish!" Klaus sang through his laughter.

"Damn, get it! Klaus, you and Dave got some serious moves!" Diego smirked as he clapped and laughed, "Seriously _lame_ moves, but moves." He whispered over his shoulder to Allison who smacked his back with a giggle.

"Looking good boys!" She called to them. Her voice was a little raspy, not quite fully healed after her injury. The siblings all smiled, clapping their hands and cheering Klaus and Dave on as they danced. Five joined them, knowing the dance himself.

"Yeah, Five!" Exclaimed Dave, their arms swimming out to each other for a high-five.

Allison joined next, followed by Luther. They followed the dance the best they could. Diego and Vanya looked at each other, shrugging with smiles on their faces.

"When in Rome?"

They also joined the dance party. Everyone danced and sang along to the swim watusi. Klaus was smiling and laughing, enjoying this time with his love and his family. He hadn't realized how badly he needed a moment such as this in his life. He laughed, switching his rotation of his arms to replicate a backstroke. The change in direction caused his abdomen to scream in protest; his dry irritated skin cracking open from the shift in motion. The pain was so intense, it caused his vision to blur. Klaus gasped, his hands shooting to his abdomen as he swayed. Dave stopped dancing, bracing his body with his strong arms, causing Klaus to cry out; Dave's touch was too painful against his abused skin. Dave flinched, realizing he'd been too rough, he retracted his hands. The pain was so strong, Klaus's eyes fluttered as his knees buckled from beneath him.

"Babe!" Dave swooped in again, looping his arms beneath Klaus's legs and lifting him against his chest. Klaus's body stiffened from the pain the motion caused, clenching his eyes shut with a hiss.

"Sorry, baby. Are you okay?" Dave examined his features worryingly. Klaus just opened his eyes into slits, his eyebrows furrowed and teeth clenched in pain.

"Just...just irritated my skin. I'm okay, just need a minute, s'all. Sorry, guys." He groaned, panting for air as he clutched at his abused irritated skin on his abdomen.

"Don't apologize, Klaus. Don't push yourself too hard. You should relax. Just rest, have a seat for a while. Maybe eat some soup?" Luther gestured to the soup Five brought to the party. Klaus nodded, groaning again as he once more wrenched his eyes shut.

"S-sounds good." He gritted through his clenched teeth. Dave carried Klaus to the couch; he gently sat him down with as much care as he could. Klaus cried out, the change in position causing his skin to crack and hurt more.

"Sorry, baby. Just breathe." Dave instructed as he softly ran his fingers through Klaus's curls to soothe him before cupping his cheek within his hand. Klaus took in a deep breath, hissing and exhaling with a pained whimper. The pain was so great, he was panting heavily trying to relieve his discomfort. "Stay calm babe, you're going to make yourself sick."

Klaus groaned again, a pained gasp emanating from his lips. He had tears in his eyes, he was just in so much pain.

"I..I can't, I—" His stomach clenched, bile threatening to rise into his throat. Klaus clasped a shaky palm over his mouth. "I'm..I'm gonna be sick."

Klaus whimpered as his body heaved. Dave whisked Klaus into his arms and ran him to the nearest bathroom. He knelt down in front of the toilet with Klaus, assisting in holding his shaking form upright in front of it. Klaus heaved into the bowl, bile vacating his belly in a painful wretch. Klaus gagged and choked, his body tensing from the pain it caused him. He was crying, he just couldn't stand feeling this way. He was so over this pain, and nausea. He was having so much fun, and of course, his cancer had to go and ruin it.

_He was so tired of it all..._

Dave gently rubbed his shoulders; one of the only places on his body that wasn't covered in painful skin lesions. Klaus heaved again, but nothing came out.

"God, why can't I just catch one fucking break.." He heaved once more, ending with a deeper whimper, "When will this pain stop?" He whispered with a sniffle and a pained gasp. Dave frowned, kissing his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, baby."

"It's okay, not your fault." Klaus gasped again, clenching his fist above his belly. "I think I'm good."

"Let's get your upstairs to bed, you should rest." Dave helped ease Klaus up to his feet before Klaus laid his shaky hand on Dave's chest.

"No, I'm fine. Let's just get back to the party. Don't let me ruin it for you, you were having so much fun."

"It's okay, baby. I don't need to go back, you're more important than some party."

"Davey, baby, I'm okay. I'm having fun, too. Besides, I was enjoying watching you dance." He smiled tiredly at Dave who returned the gesture.

"You're sure you wanna go back out there? You look exhausted."

"I am, but I'm okay. Really, baby."

"If you get tired or need to lay down, anything at all, you tell me immediately, okay?" Klaus smiled pressing his forehead against Dave's chest.

"Always."

Dave helped guide Klaus back into the living room. His siblings were standing around silently worrying about him, unable to eat their pizza. Dave sat Klaus on the couch, earning him to stiffen his body and gasp out in pain, before relaxing and easing against the cushions.

"Go eat baby, have a slice for me." Klaus smiled before closing his eyes and rubbing his stomach. Dave leaned down kissing his curls.

"You want some soup, darlin? Or some water?"

"Water is fine, thanks babe." Dave nodded before heading towards the refreshments.

"Klaus, you should go lay down. You're not looking so hot." Ben stated as he took in his brother's appearance.

"I'm fine, Ben." Ben sat beside his sickly brother on the couch.

"You sure?" Klaus shot his brother a reassuring smile.

"Positive."

Dave returned with a water for Klaus, who eagerly took a few sips before resting the bottle in his lap. Dave and his siblings continued to dance and have fun at Klaus's request. Klaus smiled while he watched everything happening around him. He loved seeing his family so happy. He loved seeing Dave with his siblings, and having every person he loved all together in one place, enjoying one another. It was moments like these that brought him the most joy to his life.

Klaus groaned, his pain flaring once more. He doubled over himself on the couch, cupping his hands to his mouth as he let out a painful cough.

"Klaus, you sound and look like shit. You should go to bed."

Klaus groaned as he sat up a bit, resting his palms on his thighs to help ease himself more upright. He shot Ben a smile.

"I'm fine." He winced again, groaning in pain as his skin stretched, cracking and aching more.

Klaus was so uncomfortable. He didn't want to leave, miss out on watching his family having so much fun; bail out during their birthday celebration, but as time went on he found his discomfort to get worse and worse. He hunched over, resting one elbow on his knee as he buried his face into his palm, his free hand draped across his belly. He was taking deep shuddering breaths trying to dull his pain, but it kept getting worse. His body trembled, each violent tremor causing his skin to tug and hurt more.

"Klaus, please, go upstairs and rest. Why put yourself through this torture?"

"I don't want to miss out on anything, Ben!" Klaus stated through another groan. Ben stiffened, leaning closer to Klaus as his brother shifted, looking into his eyes. "I..I can't miss out on anything, Ben. I just can't." Klaus's eyes were filled with tears; tears from his pain, and tears from his _fear_.

He was afraid to miss out on moments like these, because he was afraid his time to enjoy these precious moments was limited. He was afraid he would die, and have wasted his chances to witness his family truly experience happiness.

"Klaus, don't..don't think like that, man. You...you're going to be fine. But you need to take care of yourself first. You should go lay down. Look at you, you're exhausted, you're shaking, you're in pain. Listen to your body, and rest." Klaus buried his face into his palm again as a soft cry escaped his lips.

He was so fucking tired, his head was spinning and he felt his body sway from his exhaustion. He wanted to rest, truly he did. He wanted to escape this pain, but he didn't want to leave this room. He didn't want to miss out on this beautiful moment amongst his loved ones, miss out on creating this memory. He felt his strength fading, his breaths leveling out and slowing down as his eyelids became heavy.

"Klaus—" Ben was talking to him, but he couldn't understand his words, he started to slump against the couch as his fatigue washed over him. Before he could collapse against the sofa, two strong yet gentle hands were on his shoulders, steadying him.

"Easy, baby. Let's get you upstairs to bed." Before he could register what was happening, arms were beneath his knees as he was scooped up, and pressed against a familiar strong chest. Klaus's eyes fluttered, Dave's worried blue gaze meeting his exhausted green one.

"You alright, darlin?" Klaus could only hiss from his pain before screwing his eyes shut, "I knew this was a bad idea, look at you, you're hurting so bad."

Klaus whimpered as his body relaxed, his exhaustion pulling him to sleep. Dave frowned before kissing his love's temple. He faced Klaus's siblings who all paused when they noticed Klaus's frame beginning to slump on the couch.

"How is he?" Asked Vanya when she noted her brothers unconscious frame in Dave's arms.

"He's exhausted, his pain has been really strong today. He didn't want to miss out on this, but he needs to rest. I'm going to bring him upstairs to bed. Thank you guys for this, he loved it, I know he did." The siblings all smiled sadly. Allison walked up to run her fingers through Klaus's sweat dampened curls.

"Thank you, Dave. Good night, Klaus. We love you. Happy Birthday, baby brother." She leaned in, kissing his cheek.

"Happy Birthday, Klaus. We love you, feel better." His siblings all chorused.

Dave brought Klaus upstairs to rest. He laid his unconscious form on the bed, as he worked with nimble tentative fingers to remove the jacket from his frame. Dave winced when he saw Klaus's torso.

He had dried and fresh blood on multiple wounds on his abdomen where the skin cracked, or blisters burst. Klaus was trembling, his body struggling to handle all of his pain.

Dave turned and walked into the half bath in their bedroom. He grabbed a soft wash cloth as he filled a bowl with warm water. Dave returned to the room, sitting on the bed beside Klaus, careful not to disturb him. Dave dipped the cloth into the warm water, ringing the excess moisture out of the rag before gently pressing it against Klaus's abused skin. He worked with extreme caution, being extra careful not to cause his love any extra pain as he attempted to cleanse his skin of the blood and puss that coated his abdomen. One spot in particular was still oozing, as he gently patted the area Klaus gasped, his eyes opening as his body stiffened.

"P-please, baby, stop. Hurts too bad." Klaus winced as he laid his hand over Dave's, begging him to stop. Dave paused, running his free hand over Klaus's face, cupping his cheek in his hand.

"Baby, you're bleeding..I need to clean this up. You heard the doctor, the area has to stay clean to avoid infection." Klaus groaned but nodded in agreement, he knew Dave was right. Dave continued to work at removing the blood from his torso, earning whimpers and cries from his love.

_They both hated this so much..._

"Alright, all done." Dave removed the cloth from Klaus's belly. He set the cloth into the bowl of bloodied water, standing to dump the contents into the sink. When he returned to the room Klaus was laying on his side with his eyes pinched shut in pain as his GOODBYE hand attempted to rub soothing circles in his tortured abdomen.

Dave sat beside him on the bed, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder. He leaned in to kiss Klaus's cheek, causing the bed to shift uncomfortably under Klaus's body. He gasped, the sheets rubbing painfully against his wounds. Dave recoiled, pulling away from Klaus as he stood.

"Shit, baby, I'm so sorry!"

"No! Please," Klaus whimpered, reaching his hand out towards Dave, "please, lay with me?" Dave shifted on his feet running his fingers through his own hair.

"I don't know, baby. You're in so much pain, I don't want to cause you any more—"

"Please, baby. Please...the pain is worth it as long as I'm in your arms. Please, please.." Klaus's lips trembled as a tear slid down his cheek. He was in pain, but he wanted to be held right now, needed to be. He needed to be comforted by Dave.

"Are you sure, darlin? I don't want to hurt you.."

"You could never hurt me." Klaus smiled sadly at Dave as he inhaled another breath, "I need you, please."

Dave's lips tugged into a sad smile before he slowly and carefully eased himself onto the bed beside Klaus. Klaus wrapped his arms around Dave, resting his weary head against his chest. Dave wrapped Klaus up in his loving embrace, being as gentle as he could. Klaus whimpered and cried, gasping at the touch before relaxing against his love's warm loving embrace.

"Much better." Klaus whispered. He sighed, relishing Dave's touch. He closed his eyes and finally fell back to sleep.

Dave smiled affectionately at Klaus, rubbing gentle circles into the skin of his shoulder where he knew it would cause him no pain. He laid there, keeping Klaus pressed firmly against his side, watching the steady rise and fall of his love's chest as he took each long labored breath. Dave hated how tired Klaus was, he hated him being in so much pain all the time. He hated him being so sick. He just loved him so much, he wished he could make the pain stop; he'd promised Klaus he would help him fight his demons, and take away his fears.

_He hated that there was nothing he could do to rescue Klaus from his cancer..._

Dave traced his fingers delicately over Klaus's exposed arms, tracing over the scars that littered his skin from their time in Vietnam.

The small scar against his right humerus, where Klaus was shot for the first time. He remembered how lucky he was at that moment, had Klaus not ducked to the side at the last second, the bullet could have lodged into his chest instead.

The long slender scar across Klaus's torso, where he'd fallen into a trench, the machete of a fallen comrade slicing through him. Once again, he'd narrowly avoided major harm, had he fallen at a different angle, surely he would have been impaled.

Dave's fingers gently maneuvered over the thick scar tissue that covered the majority of Klaus's left shoulder. Dave hated that scar the most, as he was with him when he earned it.

_He remembered how scared he was at that moment..._

They'd been on a solo mission together, their first one of many during the ten months they served together. He remembered how excited they were; being that this would be their first time being together, alone as a couple. It started off great, but things changed in an instant. They were attacked, and ran to hide in the thick bush that surrounded them. They hid in an old dilapidated storage bay. Dave was able to fight off their attackers, but the final one tossed a grenade as he went down. They barely had time to escape its blast.

Klaus threw himself over Dave, shielding him with his own body. That was Dave's job, _Dave_ was supposed to be the protector; _not Klaus._

He ended up with that scar that day, shrapnel from the grenade blast tore through his shoulder. They were in the middle of nowhere, he lost too much blood, their medical kit was not equipped to handle the severity of the wound. Klaus came down with a fever as the wound festered and became infected. He almost didn't make it.

_It was a miracle at all that he did..._

Klaus was always somehow so incredibly unlucky and yet lucky all at once. If something bad was going to happen, it always seemed to happen to him. Yet, he'd always manage to pull through, without too much damage, other than a scar and a story.

Dave rubbed the tears from his own eyes before pressing his lips to Klaus's curls, lingering there, absorbing his scent and his touch, his very presence and being.

He only prayed Klaus could continue to be so lucky. He prayed his cancer would go away, leaving him with nothing more than the memory of its existence. He prayed he would be able to continue dodging death, and keep thriving and living.

_All he could do was pray..._

_—_

**Authors Note**: _The reference to the shrapnel wound on his shoulder is a nod to another story I'm writing so be sure to keep an eye out for that as well. Also, I am fairly certain Klaus was doing the swim watusi in the scene where he and Dave are drunkenly dancing in Vietnam and stumble into each other before Klaus shakes his fist at Dave. That is where I pulled that dance reference in case anyone was wondering. (I could be wrong, of course!) but it looked similar to it to me haha._

_Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed! Next chapter will be out next Saturday! I am almost completely done writing this story, guys! I'm working on the 19th out of 20 now and I am so excited to share it with you! As always, if you are reading and following along to this story, PLEASE leave a comment and let me know how you are feeling about this! Thank you again, please, enjoy!_


	13. Chapter 13

A few weeks passed by and Klaus's health continued to change as the days went on. His skin continued to worsen; his abdomen was now covered primarily in second degree burns - it was incredibly painful for him. He couldn't wear a shirt at all, as the fabric would stick to his damp blistered skin.

His nausea came and went in waves. The last week or so it had been rather persistent, making each day extremely difficult for Klaus. His nights especially were hard on him. Sleeping was scarce for him lately; even though he was constantly so exhausted, his nausea and pain made it incredibly difficult for him to relax and rest. The last few days he'd found it nearly impossible to find the strength to get out of bed at all. Even laying down he was so dizzy.

_He was just so exhausted..._

Dave and his siblings were growing increasingly worried over Klaus's health and overall well being. They saw how much he was struggling, and how difficult this all was for him. He tried so hard to ignore his pain, and be present, enjoying spending time with Dave and his siblings for as long as he could. But, that week he just couldn't anymore, and it _scared_ them.

Today was October 31st; Halloween, Klaus's favorite holiday. He'd been talking all month about how excited he was, and how he thought it would be fun for them to have a party, maybe even a costume contest. Now, though, the day was finally here, and Klaus didn't want to partake in the festivities. Well, not that he didn't _want_ to; he absolutely did. He just _couldn't_ physically handle the strain of it right now. That morning when Klaus woke up he was running a fever, and admittedly, he wasn't feeling his best. It was hard enough to keep his eyes open at all, let alone enjoy a party. He couldn't do it, he just couldn't.

_He didn't have the strength..._

"Aw, come on, bro. Just come down for a little while. What if we set you up shop on the couch?" Asked Diego, he was sitting at the foot of Klaus's bed gently rubbing his calves. Luther stood at the doorway looking sadly at Klaus, he could see on his face how drained he was.

"Leave him be, Diego. If he wants to join us he is welcome to, but we shouldn't force him."

Dave was sitting beside Klaus on the bed. He was delicately blotting his fever flushed neck and cheeks with a cool damp rag.

"Your fever is pretty high, baby. Maybe we should take you to the doctor?" Klaus groaned in response.

"No, babe, I'm fine. It's just from these damn burns." Klaus weakly laid his hand on his abdomen, hissing at the pain it brought him, "I'm okay, don't worry about me. I'm just tired, that's all. You guys go, _have fun_, enjoy the best holiday ever."

"I'm not leaving you like this, darlin. Not when you have a fever." Dave laid the back of his palm against Klaus's hot forehead, his eyebrows knitting together in concern. He dunked the cloth back into the cool water before wringing it out, and laying it against Klaus's brow. Klaus grabbed Dave's wrist as he peered into his eyes with a soft smile.

"Babe, no. I assure you, I'm okay. Go, have fun. I'm just going to sleep, anyways—"

"I'm not leaving you alone when you're burning up like this—"

"I'm never alone. Ben is here, he will be with me," He gestured to the corner where Ben was standing watching his family around Klaus, "What is he, chopped liver? Seriously, go. Ben and I, we've got the situation under control. I'm going straight to sleep after you leave. Just go. I'll look forward to hearing all about it when you come to bed later tonight."

"Baby, no, I—"

"Nuh-uh, nope. _Go_. I love you. I can handle putting a damp towel on my own head, if that's what you're worried about. Besides, I feel fine. It's not like I'm sick, I'm just tired. The fever must be from my radiation burns. I feel okay, I promise. Now, go on, scoot!" Klaus weakly swatted at Dave, ushering him to join his siblings in the living room to enjoy the holiday celebrations. Dave went to protest again, but Diego grabbed him by his elbow, ushering him to his feet to follow his lead.

"Come on, Dave. You heard him, he's okay. It's not like we are going anywhere. We will just be right downstairs, we can check in on him periodically, make sure he's okay."

"Ugh..guys, seriously, that's so unnecessary." Klaus closed his eyes as he groaned. He didn't want them to constantly worry over him. He just wanted them to go and have fun, be able to enjoy themselves for once without needing to constantly fuss over him.

"Oh, we will check on you. But for now, we'll let you sleep. Goodnight, Klaus. And Ben," Diego's eyes scanned the room before landing back on Klaus, "keep an eye on him, will ya?"

"I always do." Ben assured Klaus with a smirk. Klaus opened his eyes and smiled at Ben, before closing them once more. Dave ran his fingers through Klaus's curls as he knelt beside him, pressing a kiss to his feverish temple.

"I'll be right downstairs, baby. I'll be up in a little while to check on you. Do you need anything? Soup, crackers, water?" Klaus opened his tired eyes as he smiled at Dave.

"I'm okay, thank you, though. I love you." He puckered his lips, begging for a kiss. Dave happily pressed his own lips to Klaus's, both men smiled into the kiss, "Now, go, have fun." Dave reluctantly followed Luther to leave the room, followed by Diego.

"Di, wait up a sec." Klaus called to him as he went to close the door. Diego looked at Klaus before telling Dave to head down and assuring him that he'd be right behind him before he slunk back into the room towards his brother, sitting on the bed beside him.

"What's up, bro? You sure you're okay?" Diego laid the back of his hand against Klaus's cheek, but his ailing brother tiredly pulled his face away.

"I'm fine. Diego, please don't let Dave keep coming up here to check on me, make him stay downstairs and have fun. I can't stand the idea of him fussing over me when he should be enjoying himself." Klaus's voice was soft and tired, and his eyes were hooded and exhausted looking, but his expression was so serious.

"Klaus, you are really warm, I can't blame him for worrying. Whether or not you're sick doesn't matter at this point, you still have a fever, it's concerning. You need to be checked up on, make sure it isn't turning into something, you know?"

"Fine, then can it be you, or Luther, just anyone else? Please, Diego. Please - he deserves a break from all of this," Klaus weakly gestured to himself, "I just want him to have at least one evening where he's just living his life, having fun and being happy without needing to worry about me. Can you do that for me, please?" Diego looked at his brother sadly before shooting him a crooked smile. He set his hand on Klaus's shoulder reassuringly as he nodded.

"Fine, we will each cycle through to check up on you, and work together to keep Dave downstairs." Diego removed the cloth from Klaus's forehead before dunking it back into the bowl of water, ringing it out and setting it back above his brow, "You just rest, okay? If you need anything, or start to feel worse at all, tell us right away, alright?" Klaus nodded while closing his eyes.

"Alright, deal," Diego turned to leave the room, "and, Di," Diego paused, his hand clutching the doorknob in his hand as he turned his attention back to his brother.

"Yeah, Klaus?"

"Thanks."

Both brothers smiled at one another. Diego nodded, before leaving the room, closing the door behind him. Klaus closed his eyes, resting his head back down on his pillows. He winced as he let out a long sigh. Ben sat beside his brother on the bed, leaning over him, and examined his features.

"I know you're going to say I sound like a broken record, but seriously, you look like shit. You sure you're feeling okay?" Klaus pinched his eyes together as he groaned.

"M'fine, Ben. I don't feel sick. I just feel," Klaus paused to inhale a deep breath, "fucking exhausted." He sighed, opening his weary eyes into slits. Ben nodded his head as he frowned. He hated seeing Klaus in this condition.

He couldn't help but feel incredibly frustrated in himself. His brother was right there, right beside him. He had a fever and was suffering, and yet, there was absolutely nothing he could do for him.

Ben hated it.

"I'm sorry, Klaus." Klaus's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion as he tilted his head to look Ben in his eyes.

"Sorry? For what?" He stifled a cough, causing him to wince from the abrupt shift in his body. Ben shifted his position, leaning against the wall and bending his knee so his leg was resting under the other.

"I'm sorry I can't do anything to help you. I can't even just touch you, check your fever and make sure it isn't spiking. I can't call for help if you need it, either. I'm sorry I can't physically be there for you, man." Klaus sent Ben a soft reassuring smile as he closed his eyes, leaning back against his pillows.

"Is that all? Ben, seriously, please don't worry about any of that. I'm just glad you're here at all. Really, you shouldn't be apologizing. I should be thanking you. So, thank you, Ben. Even though you're upset, and feel insufficient, thank you for still always being here for me when I need you. You do way more for me than you think. I mean it. Thank you, bro."

Ben smiled sadly at Klaus, even though he knew he would never actually be able to touch his brother, he still reached out to brush his fingers through his hair, even if the motion would only comfort himself. Ben's eyes widened in surprise, however, when his fingers somehow miraculously actually made contact; Klaus's fever dampened curls gliding through his delicate touch. Klaus shivered, Ben's icy skin grazing across his scalp. He opened his eyes and both brothers looked at each other with bemused expressions.

"H-how are - how are you doing that?" Klaus asked perplexed.

"I..I'm not - you are, I think?" Ben paused his hand mid stroke through Klaus's curls while Klaus groaned from the discomfort of his burns, screwing his eyes shut. Ben frowned at his brother's discomfort. Regaining his senses, Ben laid his palm against his brother's sweat soaked forehead. "Klaus..you're really hot." Worry laced his tone. Klaus pressed himself against Ben's touch, his cool skin a soothing comfort to his burning flesh.

"You're cold." Klaus shivered at the contrast in temperature against his skin. Ben retracted his hand from his brother's brow. He knew he had to get his fever down now that he was somehow capable of doing-so. Ben grabbed the washcloth that had slipped off of his forehead and dunked it into the bowl of water. He wrung out the excess water and started dabbing the fabric against Klaus's feverish face. He couldn't believe how warm he was, his features furrowed with concern at the heat.

"Klaus, maybe you should have mom take a look at you, your fever feels pretty high—" Klaus groaned, licking his lips. He opened his glossy eyes, meeting Ben's worried gaze and smiled tiredly at his brother.

"Really, m'okay. It's from my burns. I'm fi—" Klaus's words were cut off when his discomfort in his abdomen flared, causing him to gasp in pain.

"You okay?" Ben went to reach for his brothers shoulders, but his hands fell through his flesh - once again he was unable to make contact. Klaus groaned again, his body relaxing as he laid on the bed, panting heavily.

Neither boys realized how much energy it took for Klaus to manifest Ben. Even if it was for a short period of time, it was extremely strenuous on his body. He was left incredibly exhausted.

"Klaus, are you okay?" Klaus couldn't answer, he was simply too tired, "Klaus, say something. Are you alright?" No response. Klaus looked so pale, so sickly. He was breathing in sharp quick bursts and looked so incredibly uncomfortable. Ben's heart sank just taking in his appearance, he had to make sure he was alright.

"Talk to me, Klaus. Come on, please!" Klaus wheezed opening his eyes into slits.

"M'okay...jus'tired..s'all..." He answered shakily through his panting.

"I don't know how you did that - or me? But, we probably shouldn't do it again. I think it uses too much of your energy." Klaus groaned, nodding in agreement.

"Mhmm." Klaus's eyes drooped shut as he quickly fell asleep. Ben watched over his sickly brother. He'd already been so tired, he hoped that little stunt wouldn't cause him any more harm.

Some time went by and Klaus's breathing leveled out returning to normal. Ben was happy about that, he only wished he could reach out and touch Klaus again. He wanted to make sure he was alright, that his fever hadn't spiked. He couldn't help but want to do more for his brother. The door opened and Diego entered the room. He approached the bed and sat down beside Klaus. He peered down at his brother's slumbering face and placed his palm against his pyretic forehead and frowned.

"Shit, you still have a fever." He whispered so as to not awaken his brother. Diego grabbed the cloth and dunked it into the water again. He opted to gently run the cloth over Klaus's skin, to wipe away his sweat. He hoped he could lower his temperature.

Diego smiled sadly at Klaus, it physically hurt his heart to see his brother so sickly. To know he was up there, laying in bed sick with a fever; his body riddled with burns and cancer, when he should be downstairs dancing and singing along to his favorite Halloween songs with his siblings and his fiancé.

_Diego missed his brother..._

He missed Klaus's crazy antics, his infectious laughter. He missed his exuberance and child-like charm. Klaus was always so pure; not in the literal sense, he'd always been a mess, but something about his soul had always been so kind. He just didn't understand why this had to be happening to his brother. Why, why him? Why Klaus? He'd always been a genuinely good person, a kind soul with a titanic sized heart.

_He didn't deserve all of this pain..._

"I wish you could see it, Klaus. Dave is down there trying to teach us more 'classic' dance moves. I gotta say, though, he looks wildly out of his league without you. I think you're the better dancer between the two of you," The corner of Diego's lip tugged up into a crooked smile as he exhaled a laugh, "I wish you were down there, bro. I wish you could enjoy it. Dave's enjoying himself, just as you requested. Now, if only you could get a break from all of _this_," Diego mimicked Klaus's earlier gesture to his physique, "too. You deserve it, bro. You deserve some relief." Diego dunked the cloth again, this time, he neatly folded it and placed it on his sickly brother's forehead.

"Sleep well, bro. One of us will be back in a little while to check on you." He stood, walking towards the bedroom door to leave. He exited, facing the bedroom as he pulled the door towards himself, "I love you, Klaus." He smiled quickly before finally closing the door.

Klaus continued to sleep, he didn't so much as stir during the gap of time between Diego leaving the room and Vanya and Allison entering. They both sat on the bed beside his slumbering form. Allison checked his temperature when she first entered. He was still quite warm, so she decided to change out the water in the bowl for fresh water. When she returned Vanya had fluffed his pillows and pulled his HELLO hand into her lap, where she was gently massaging his palm. The sisters smiled at one another as Allison laid the bowl down, dunking the cloth and returning it to Klaus's forehead.

"He must've been really tired, he usually at least smiles or tiredly mumbles something by now." Vanya noted, running her hand up and down his exposed arm.

"Dave said his pain and nausea has been keeping him up a lot the last few days, the exhaustion must be finally catching up to him. I'm glad he's sleeping so soundly, he deserves it. Poor thing." Allison sucked her teeth as she tucked a curl behind his ear.

"He looks so..frail." Vanya ran her palm down Klaus's sharp cheekbones, "I hadn't really noticed until now."

"It's scary, isn't it?" Allison's lips pulled down into a frown as she laid her hand over Klaus's, "I still can't quite wrap my head around it. Klaus; sweet, goofy Klaus. Our ferociously amazing little brother has _cancer_?" Allison's voice cracked on the final word. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

"I know, Ally. It's hard to accept."

"It's _impossible_ to accept. He doesn't deserve this." She shook her head, wiping a tear from her eye, "Klaus should be downstairs right now," She pointed her hand towards the door, her lips curling into a sad smile, "with us, and with Dave; his _fiancé_. Klaus has a fiancé, someone who truly loves him and wants what's best for him. That's what he deserves, to finally be happy. Not.._not this_."

Vanya frowned as she leaned forward, pulling Allison into an embrace.

"I know, Ally. It's unfair. Klaus finds a man who loves him, truly loves him. Who would never hurt him, and treats him with the love and respect he's always deserved, at last. And then this happens? It's not fair, it's fucking cruel!" Both sisters broke into sobs.

They felt so awful for Klaus, he didn't deserve the hand he'd been dealt in life. His entire life had been one disastrous moment after another. The emotional and mental abuse from their father, not to mention the physical abuse from his past relationships. His 'gift' that had always just been a curse to him, frightening him from such an early age. It certainly didn't help that none of his siblings had ever truly been there for him, to help him or guide him through any of his struggles. In fact, they'd mostly given up on him until they were forced back together after Reginald's funeral. He'd depended on drugs to literally numb himself, take his fears and pains away for the majority of his short life. And now _this_? Stricken down with stage 3 pancreatic cancer? It wasn't fair, Klaus didn't deserve this.

Klaus groaned in his sleep, his head lulling from one side to the other. His sisters looked at him expecting him to awaken, but he didn't. It was a false alarm. They decided they should leave so he could rest without listening to them blubbering. Each sister stood, kissing Klaus's cheek or temple before they left. Vanya re-dampened the cloth and placed it on his head before she left him to sleep.

Some more time passed by, and when Five entered the room Klaus was shifting around on his bed uncomfortably, softly groaning. He was still asleep, but was clearly either in pain or having a nasty nightmare. Five flashed to his bedside, laying his tiny hand over his brother's cheek to gauge his temperature. Klaus was drenched in sweat and still suffering from his fever. Five sucked his teeth as he sat beside his brother, taking his hand into his own.

"Shh calm down, Klaus. You're okay." He soothed his brother softly, rubbing circles into his hand. Klaus whimpered but seemed to settle as he relaxed against his mattress.

Five shot his brother a crooked smile before leaning forward, wiping his curls out of his eyes and cupping his cheek. He just looked so ill, it sickened Five to see his brother like this. He took the cloth and dunked it into the cool water, then placed it back on his brother's forehead. Five situated himself so he was laying beside Klaus on the bed, he gently curled his tiny frame against his brothers, and clutched his hand in his own. Five just took in Klaus's features. He was so incredibly pale, and his face was so gaunt. He could count each of his brothers ribs, he'd lost so much weight. His skin was so red and irritated; it was littered in blisters and burns - it looked so painful. Five couldn't stand the sight of him, not like _this_.

"I thought seeing you dead in the apocalypse was bad. Nothing compares to this, Klaus. At least then you weren't suffering." Five closed his eyes to staunch his tears. He pressed his forehead into his brother's shoulder, simply relishing his presence, "I came back to stop all of this, to save you. I'm sorry I didn't make it in time. I'm sorry I couldn't stop this from happening. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you, Klaus." Five whispered with tears in his eyes against his brother's shoulder.

"I don't know what to do for you, brother. I'm so sorry."

"Five?" Klaus whispered blearily, barely audible. He leaned his head over, pressing his cheek against Fives silky dark hair, "You okay?" He asked, eyes hooded and glossy from exhaustion. Five smiled, pulling his hand to his eyes to wipe his tears so Klaus wouldn't see. He softly laughed to hide his sorrow.

"Me? Klaus, yeah, I'm fine. How are you feeling? You're still running a fever." Klaus hummed in response closing his eyes again. He nuzzled closer to Fives touch, his washcloth slipping from his face onto Fives head.

"M'jus sleepy." Five smiled at his tired brother as he grabbed the washcloth off of his head. He wiggled himself out from under Klaus's weight, and guided him so his head was resting back on his pillows.

"Just rest, then, okay?" Klaus was already asleep again, so Five dunked the rag back into the water. He sat with Klaus for a little while longer, running the cloth over his face and neck to cleanse his sweat and attempt to cool his skin. After a while, once he was satisfied that he could safely leave him alone, Five re-wet the cloth and laid it on Klaus's forehead. He squeezed his brother's hand and smiled at him before turning to leave. "I love you, Klaus. Feel better."

More time passed by and Klaus was still asleep. Luther gently knocked on the door before opening it. He peered inside, before entering into the room. He sat down on the bed being cautious to not jostle him too much. Klaus's eyes were clenched shut, his head rolling back and forth, his chest heaving with quick short gasps.

"Hey, shh, you're okay, Klaus. Easy, take deep breaths," Klaus groaned, tugging his blanket tighter against his skin, "hey, now. Calm down, you're alright." Luther laid his hand on Klaus's shoulder to try to calm him. He didn't know if he was having a nightmare, or if his pain was this intense at this moment. But it was scary to see him like this, nonetheless.

Klaus groaned again, a soft whimper escaping his lips followed by a cough. Luther furrowed his eyebrows as he leaned forward, pressing his hand to Klaus's forehead. He was almost certain his fever spiked, he knew it was high, but didn't remember it being this high.

"Shit," Luther began, "you're burning up, Klaus. Let's get this blanket off of you, yeah?" First Luther saturated the cloth again and placed it back on his brothers brow before turning his attention to the blanket. Klaus was really writhing now, he was moaning and crying out. His body rocking from side to side as his hands grasped at his blanket. Luther wrapped his fingers into the blanket, and gently started to pull it away from Klaus's prone frame. The motion caused Klaus to gasp; a painful cry leaving his lips.

"Calm down, Klaus, it's okay. You're—" Luther stopped speaking when he finished wrangling the blanket away from Klaus's frame. Klaus was now clutching as his stomach, guttural cries bellowing from his lips. His head was firmly pressed into his pillows, his shoulders arching from his immense pain. Luther's eyes widened in shock and disbelief when he saw what must have been causing Klaus all of this pain - Klaus's stomach was _swollen_; it was protruding over his waistline of his pants, it definitely had not been like that earlier that morning. Klaus was crying out in pain.

"Oh my god, Klaus, it's okay. You're going to be okay, we will get you help." Luther scooped Klaus's ailing frame into his arms and turned to rush him downstairs. Klaus threw his head back, letting out a loud bellowing scream, he was in agony, he'd never felt any pain like this before.

Klaus's painful cries were loud enough that they alerted everyone downstairs, the loud cacophony of multiple sets of footsteps echoed up the staircase. Everyone stopped in their tracks when they saw Klaus; their eyes all darting to his clearly swollen belly.

"Oh my god, babe!" Dave rushed to his side. Klaus opened his weary eyes and looked to Dave, his agony clearly evident on his features. Klaus reached his hand towards Dave, who eagerly accepted his touch.

"Hurts..so bad." He gasped, clenching his eyes and teeth at the agony. Dave's eyes darted between both of Klaus's eyes, his eyebrows furrowed in deep concern.

"It's okay, baby, you're going to be okay." Klaus cried again as his energy faded, his body went limp in Luther's arms.

"We need to get him to the hospital!" Diego shouted over the sea of concerned stares in front of him. No one could move, they were all in shock.

"Come on, move it! He needs medical attention _now_!" Five shouted. Everyone nodded. Dave kept Klaus's hand firmly pressed in his own as they all made it down the stairs. Everyone piled into Fives van. Dave clutched Klaus's unconscious body in his arms. He pressed his forehead to his own and tried to stifle his own tears. He nuzzled him as close to himself as he could without inflicting anymore bodily harm to his love.

"It's okay, baby. You're going to be okay."

—

**Authors Note:** _Poor Klaus :( _

_Thank you anyone who continues to read this story! I appreciate you! Please be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you are feeling, I eagerly look forward to read anything you may have to say! As a reminder, not everything is always as it seems with this story, so be sure to keep that in mind! This is not a fun journey for Klaus, Dave or the family, there will be a lot of lows, but I promise all of the pain and suffering will be worth it in the end! ;)_


	14. Chapter 14

"Christ Five, can't you make this hunk of junk go any faster!" Diego shouted to his brother. He was situated in the back of Five's van beside Dave who held Klaus's pained form in his arms. Klaus was thrashing in agony, his excruciating cries filling the small cabin of the cramped vehicle.

"I'm going as fast as I can, Diego! We are almost there! Try to keep him calm!" Five responded quickly over his shoulder before returning his focus to the road ahead, slamming his foot down harder against the gas pedal.

"Shh baby, you're okay. You're going to be okay." Dave tried to soothe him, attempting to calm his pain, and desperately try to make him feel comfortable, but his words fell on deaf ears.

Klaus was in complete and total distress; his swollen abdomen was inflicting an unimaginable amount of pain on his already severely weakened frame. His fever had spiked to a frightening level, and his skin was dripping with a thick sheen of sweat. Dave was rocking Klaus in his arms, cooing to him in a dire attempt to keep him calm, and to keep his mind off of his agony.

"Try to get him to slow his breathing down, he's on the verge of hyperventilating!" Vanya instructed. She was in the passenger seat of the van, her upper body twisted so she could keep an eye on her ailing brother. Allison and Luther were both massaging Klaus's calves, trying to comfort him as best as they could.

"Jesus," Diego brushed Klaus's curls away from his fever flushed face, the heat emanating from his skin was alarming, "he's burning up."

"Hurts," Klaus mumbled blearily through his panted gasps.

"I know, baby. It's going to be okay, we are almost to the hospital." Dave pressed his lips against his curls as he cradled him closer against his chest. Klaus was in so much discomfort, his agonized cries continued to fill the air. Dave tentatively laid his hand atop Klaus's swollen belly, earning a sharp gasp from his sickly fiancé.

"No, stop, please!" He flung his head back, a heart shattering cry leaving his lips as his weak hands grasped at Dave's, trying desperately to remove the pressure from his belly. He was too weak, though, he fumbled and couldn't firmly latch onto his hand. Dave realized how badly his actions hurt his love; he removed his hand quickly, afraid to inflict him with anymore pain. He cupped his palm to Klaus's face instead, gently stroking his tear-stained cheek with his thumb.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I'm so sorry," A tear slid down Dave's cheek as a soft cry escaped Klaus's trembling lips. He hated this, he hated seeing Klaus in so much pain. What was causing this to happen to his love? Dave just wanted to take his pain away, to make him comfortable. He couldn't bear to see him this way any longer, something had to be done. Klaus couldn't keep going on like this. "I love you so much, darlin. Just hold on, okay? We are almost there." Klaus nodded as he buried his exhausted face against Dave's strong chest.

Klaus was just in so much pain, but more than anything, he was scared. He'd never felt anything like this before. He didn't know what to do, or think. He was just so petrified. Why was this happening to him?

"We're here!" Five skidded the van to a stop in front of the emergency room entrance. He threw the van into park, before he turned to his family, "Bring him in now, I'll be right behind you!" He signaled for his siblings and Dave to exit the vehicle, then hurried off to find a parking spot.

Dave carried Klaus's trembling form in his strong yet gentle embrace and ran in through the entrance, followed by the entire Hargreeves clan, aside from Five. He approached the front desk, Klaus's pained weeping immediately caught the attention of the nurse. She hurried around the desk, grabbing a wheelchair on her way.

"Klaus?" Everyone at the hospital recognized him by this point, as he'd been undergoing his cancer treatments there for many months, "What happened, please, set him down!" She assisted Dave in setting Klaus's form into the chair. He gasped, the wheelchair an unwelcome shift in position compared to the warmth from his fiancés strong embrace.

"He's burning up, and his stomach is swollen! I don't know what to do, this has never happened before, please. Please, help him!" Dave pleaded through his own tears. The nurse nodded before rushing Klaus through the emergency doors and into the back to be seen. Five flashed into the room, meeting his siblings as they all took a seat in the waiting room.

"How is he, did they take him back yet?" He asked frantically before noticing Klaus wasn't there and taking a seat of his own across from Dave.

"They took him. We just need to wait now. God, I hate this. I just hope he's okay." Dave buried his face into his palms and his broad shoulders shook when he failed to conceal his sobs. It broke everyone's heart that this was happening to Klaus, it was hard to grasp the true severity of the entire situation. Dave always kept a brave face, he tried to never allow his true innermost fears to come to light or show his emotions outwardly like this. Seeing him cry, the siblings knew they had to try to console him. They all were terrified and needed someone to be there to comfort them. Diego rubbed Dave's back as Allison laid a comforting hand on his knee.

"He's going to be okay, Dave. You just need to keep faith."

Dave sat up in his chair with a nod at Allison's words. He wiped hastily at his tears before their sorrowful eyes met in shared concern for their loved one. He just prayed that her words were true.

_Klaus was going to be okay, he had to be..._

—-

Dave didn't know what to feel. He sat in his chair, eyes steadily watching the hands on the analog clock on the wall monotonously ticking away.

_Five minutes, twenty minutes, an hour..._

The sound of the clock was deafening, each tick was like the sonic boom of a bomb echoing through the waiting room and reverberating through his ears. It was all he could focus on.

TICK - TICK - TICK - TICK

The hands on the clock just kept ticking; time kept slipping away and yet there was still no change. Still no news on his love's condition. The seconds blurred into hours and yet it felt like time was standing still. It was as though each second that passed by was mocking him, and Dave couldn't take it any longer, he needed to know if Klaus was okay. Dave felt like he was stuck; trapped in a moment in time as the rest of the world hurriedly buzzed around him, leaving him behind in its wake. He hated this feeling; he hated the unknown.

What happened?

Why was Klaus's stomach so...distended?

So swollen?

What on earth would cause that? Was that a symptom from his radiation? The chemo? His cancer itself?

Was it completely unrelated? What was wrong with him, what could be done to take his pain away, bring Klaus comfort? Was there something, anything at all? There had to be something that could be done to relieve his love from all of this pain, this agony. He didn't deserve to feel this way, he deserved to be happy and enjoying his life with his siblings, with him.

_He didn't deserve this..._

Anytime Dave closed his eyes, he saw Klaus's pained expression. Anytime he opened them, he was reminded that his beautiful face wasn't there for him to see. Dave's heart clenched when he thought of his fiancé. He was in agony, and there was nothing he could do. He couldn't bear the sight of Klaus being that way. The thought of him being in that amount of pain.

_He just couldn't..._

Dave closed his eyes, slumping deeper into the uncomfortable chair he was sat in, his head leaning heavily against the back of it. He needed to compose himself, to take deep breaths and calm his nerves. He inhaled a deep breath and held it for a few moments before slowly exhaling through his nose. He repeated the process a few times before he felt a hand grasp onto his. Dave opened his eyes, quickly shifting into an upright position as his gaze met Allison's.

"You okay, Dave?" She looked at him thoughtfully with furrowed brows, her expression taught with worry. Dave could only shake his head as he clenched his eyes shut. He pressed his chin to his chest as he rubbed at his eyes with his free hand.

"I'm so scared, Ally. So fucking scared. My poor Klaus, I just want him to be okay." he whispered through his tears. Allison's heart broke for Dave. She understood his fears, and she loved that this man cared so deeply for her brother. She wrapped her arms around Dave, pulling him against her chest while she nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder.

"It's okay, Dave. I know, I'm scared too. He's going to be okay," Dave buried his face into her hair when his emotions overwhelmed him, hot tears streamed down his cheeks as his entire being shook with silent sobs, "Shh, shh I know, Dave, but Klaus? He's strong, so incredibly strong. If anyone can pull through this, it's him. He's going to be okay. He has to be."

—-

"Hargreeves?" The nurse peered out into the waiting room and smiled at Klaus's family, recognizing them immediately as they stood and approached her.

"Hello, please, follow me." She led them down the sterile hall and into a room where Klaus was lying asleep on the bed. He was hooked to all kinds of machines, the steady beat of his heart monitor and forced wisps of air from his oxygen cannula were the only sounds that filled the otherwise quiet room. Dave was at his side immediately, pulling his pale limp hand into his own. He smoothed his sweat soaked curls off of his slumbering face as he leaned down, placing a delicate kiss against his love's temple. His siblings joined Dave at Klaus's side, circling themselves around his bed and taking in his frail appearance.

"We are just waiting on some test results, please, sit and relax for a little while. The doctor should be in shortly."

"What caused the swelling? Do you know?" Diego asked as he peered to Klaus's distended abdomen and then back to the nurse.

"I'm afraid I do not have the answers for you, the doctor will. I am sorry, Klaus is in excellent hands. Dr. Thomas will answer all of your questions when he arrives." Diego nodded to the nurse as she left the room.

Dave crawled into the bed beside Klaus, careful not to disturb his slumber. He gently eased his frail frame against his chest and into his welcoming embrace. He desperately needed to hold him right now, he yearned for his love's touch. He closed his eyes, pressing his cheek against Klaus's curls as he hugged him against himself as delicately as he could.

"Jesus, he looks like shit." Diego started with a frown.

"His temperature feels a bit better, they must've given him something for it." Dave noted when his flesh didn't feel like it would melt away from his bones.

"I've never seen him look so bad before." Luther's lips were pressed into a thin line, his eyebrows knit together with worry.

"Me neither. This is...it's scary." Squeaked Vanya, her voice trembled as her words tumbled from her quivering lips.

Klaus groaned in his sleep, his hand darting to his painfully distended belly as his eyes fluttered and opened into weary slits.

"Shh shh baby, you're okay. You're in the hospital." Dave soothed him, pressing his lips to his curls as he grabbed his hands, pulling them away from his stomach. A soft whine burst through Klaus's lips as he screwed his eyes shut.

"Hurts so bad, Davey," he whimpered, his lips curling into a snarl from the pain.

"I know, darlin. I'm so sorry. We are just waiting on to come in and fix you right up. You're going to be okay." he kissed Klaus's curls, his lips lingered there for a long moment to just savor his presence and his scent.

"What happened, Klaus? Do you know?" Five inquired, taking in his brother's shuddering appearance. Klaus shook his head as he gasped in pain.

"No..j-just woke up with this p-pain." he groaned again when his pain intensified. He bit down on his lip in an attempt to distract himself from his agony, "God, please make it stop." he whispered through his tears.

"Maybe they can give you something for the pain—" Vanya went to suggest, but Klaus interrupted her.

"No! No, it'll go away. I don't want anything, please, I don't want any drugs." he shook his head back and forth frantically, he was desperate to stay sober, he didn't want to relapse now. He'd come so far, he didn't need the drugs. He could handle the pain.

"Shh baby, calm down, don't work yourself up." Dave cooed into Klaus's ear to soothe him as he ran his fingers through his hair, peppering his hairline with soft kisses. Klaus eventually relaxed, his body going limp as he succumbed to exhaustion once more, his eyes slipping shut as he once again fell into unconsciousness.

"I...I didn't mean to freak him out. I just thought it could help him feel better. He deserves some relief." Vanya's eyes were wide with worry. Dave smiled at her sadly.

"No, it's okay. Don't take it too much to heart. You meant well. He's just adamant about staying sober. I think I'm to blame for that," Dave looked down sadly at Klaus's pale face. He ran his fingers through his hair as he clutched him closer to his chest. "I pushed him to quit using. It was my idea; I told him he needed to stop pumping his body full of that poison."

"That's good though, Dave. We've tried to get him to stop for years. Klaus has always been a stubborn bastard. No matter how much we begged, pleaded with him to stop, he never would. No matter how many times he'd overdose, find himself in the hospital with his stomach pumped, or how many times he wound up in rehab just to get out and sprint right back to the habit that got him there in the first place, he never listened. You should be proud of yourself for finally getting through that thick skull of his." Diego comforted, laying a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"But now he won't accept the help! I think he's trying not to disappoint me, but this is different— So much different!"

"It's okay, Dave. I'm just so happy my brother finally has someone who loves him as much as you do. He's never been treated with such kindness and love his entire life, I thank whatever powers in the world have brought you two together; whether it be fate, or God. You're exactly what my brother has always needed, always deserved. Do not feel upset about getting him to stop using; at least you gave enough of a damn to try. Had he never stopped, the drugs may have masked his symptoms, maybe we wouldn't have learned he had cancer. There's always a reason for everything. Give him time. If his pain is strong enough, and we encourage and guide him the way he needs, I think he will accept the medication when he is ready. We shouldn't force him into it, if he truly wants to stay away from it. I know him, he's stubborn as a mule; more-so even, but he isn't dumb. If he needs the medication, he will eventually accept it."

Dave nodded at Diego with a sad smile as the other man squeezed his shoulder. There was a knock at the door before it opened, revealing Klaus's oncologist Dr. Thomas. He entered the room, closing the door behind him as he took a seat on his stool holding Klaus's chart in his hands. He smiled quickly at the family in the room before pulling his glasses from his pocket and situating them on his face. He licked the tip of his finger, then peeled the pages of Klaus's chart apart, flipping through the pages.

"Hello again, everyone. My, Klaus has certainly been having quite the journey, hasn't he?" he stated, his tone somber as he shot a crooked smile to Dave, and then Klaus's siblings.

"Why is his stomach like that?" Luther asked immediately, not wanting to beat around the bush any longer. They'd been patiently awaiting answers for so long. He took a step forward and laid his hand over Klaus's knee gently giving it a reassuring squeeze. The doctor sighed, adjusting the glasses on his face before addressing Luther's question.

"Well, as you all know, Klaus came in with an alarmingly high fever and abdominal swelling. We ran multiple tests on him; bloodwork, CT scan, MRI, ultrasound. The swelling is from an accumulation of fluid in his peritoneal cavity in his abdomen."

"Fluid in his abdomen? What would cause that? Is that a normal symptom for his cancer?" Allison questioned, her eyebrows furrowed in concern. The doctor looked back at his clipboard as he nodded slowly.

"Yes, unfortunately, it can be. Usually this condition; ascites, is what it's called, doesn't occur until the end of life stages of more advanced pancreatic cancer."

"Well, why does he have it then? Klaus is in stage three, he doesn't have advanced pancreatic cancer." Five glared forward, awaiting the answer. The doctor laid his clipboard down in his lap as he rolled his stool closer to Klaus's bed before he looked around the room to each person.

"I'm terribly sorry," he began, "according to Klaus's latest bloodwork, CT and MRI, all of the results were conclusive. I took every precaution I could and had them sent to a second radiologist for a re-read; a second opinion. The answer was still the same."

Dr. Thomas paused as the siblings all stared at him expectantly. Dave scrutinized the doctor, eyes narrowed with concern.

"The chemo and radiation therapy have had no effect on Klaus's tumors. It appears—it appears the tumors have once again spread. Klaus has a new growth on his liver, as well as on his right lung. I am so incredibly sorry, we have done everything we could have possibly done for Klaus. His cancer has advanced to stage four. It's..it's terminal at this point, there's nothing more that can be done."

An overwhelming silence filled the room; an agonizingly painful sensation filling everyone's chest.

_Klaus's cancer advanced to stage four..._

It's _terminal_, there's nothing more that can be done...

_That can't fucking be!_

"No..no y-you're wrong, run the tests again." Dave demanded, eyes blown wide and filled with tears.

"I'm so sorry, Dave. I know how difficult—"

"No! It can't be, it just can't! We have done everything we were supposed to! We caught it early, we started him on the chemotherapy as soon as we found out, we let him suffer from the physical torment the radiation therapy brought him. We never missed a treatment, we followed everything as close as we could. We only ever wavered on anything when we were forced to because of his aplastic anemia. He's supposed to get better! He's supposed to pull out of this like everything else in his life, he's supposed to live! You're wrong! Run the tests again, they're wrong, they have to be! This can't be! This can't fucking be!"

A sob burst through Dave's lips, hot tears of utter despair seeping down his cheeks as his shoulders hitched with sobs. He couldn't contain his emotions, he couldn't accept this news. He couldn't wrap his head around the idea that this was it—Klaus, his fiancé, the love of his life, his absolute heart and soul is dying and there's nothing to be done to stop it from happening.

Dave couldn't breathe, his chest felt like it was collapsing; constricting around his lungs and crushing his heart. He felt nauseous, he felt like he was going to pass out; he felt as though he himself was going to die alongside his love. Allison threw her arms around Dave, her own tears soaking into the collar of his shirt.

"Breathe Dave, breathe, we need to stay strong for Klaus, he needs us." She pleaded through her sobs.

_Everyone was struggling to cope with the news of Klaus's fate..._

Vanya was shuddering in Five's embrace, his face buried in her shoulder as they both trembled with fear.

Luther was on his knees kneeling beside Klaus's bed, he was clutching Klaus's hand within his own trembling fingers. His tear streaked eyes were glued to his brother's slumbering form. He couldn't bring himself to look away, too afraid that Klaus would just disappear.

Diego was hunched over Klaus, he had his brother's face cupped in his hands, his thumbs were gently caressing his pale hollowed cheeks. His lips were trembling as he kept sniffling back his tears. He couldn't bear knowing this was it, he couldn't stand knowing he would be losing his brother.

_He couldn't dare say goodbye..._

The doctor gave everyone some time to cope with the news. He'd grown extremely close to Klaus and his family over the course of his treatment. Dr. Thomas had been Klaus's oncologist for six months; he'd grown rather fond of this family, and admired their support for Klaus. He, too, was rooting for him, he was so hopeful they'd caught it in time. He felt their devastation, too.

"I recommend we immediately stop the chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Allow Klaus some comfort and peace for whatever time he has left." Luther gasped for a breath as he looked to the doctor.

"How long?" he started, running his sleeve across his eyes to dry his tears, "How long does he have, until he—" he choked on his breath as a sob burst from his lips, unable to finish the question. Dr. Thomas nodded, looking into Luther's eyes.

"It could be anywhere from a few weeks, to a few months. Judging by how aggressive his cancer is; how fast it's progressed, even throughout his rigorous treatment," he paused, folding his arms across his lap, "I'd estimate Klaus has two to four months time left. I am deeply, deeply sorry. I wish there was more that I could do. Klaus is a remarkable, strong and brave young man." laid his palm over Klaus's ankle, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"We can drain his ascitis to help relieve some of his discomfort. It may return, although, there's no telling when it may occur. We can address it at that time and further assess treatment then." Luther stood up, still clutching his brother's hand. He couldn't let him go.

"If he stops the chemo and radiation, and we drain the fluid, will Klaus be comfortable? Will his pain go away?" Dr. Thomas adjusted the clipboard in his lap. He pushed his stool back and rose to his feet as he turned to address Luther's question.

"That should bring him a great deal of relief, yes," Everyone sighed with the knowledge that Klaus would be in less discomfort.

"However," The doctor continued, "Klaus is in the end of life stages of his illness. He may find temporary relief from his symptoms at first, but stage four pancreatic cancer can be extremely painful; we could prescribe him pain medication to help dull his pain, however, if my memory serves me right then I know Klaus is a recovering addict. I know this is a difficult decision, and I don't want to force him into anything he doesn't want, but, I highly recommend he accept the medication."

—-

The doctor drained Klaus's ascites from his abdomen; his entire family watched the procedure. He instructed Dave to ensure Klaus stayed perfectly still for the duration of the procedure, and informed him it could take anywhere from twenty to thirty minutes to complete.

The doctor prepped the skin on Klaus's belly; it had to be cleansed and sterilized before he could begin. He injected the area with a local anesthetic to numb the injection site. Once he was certain the area was numb, he slowly eased the Paracentesis needle into Klaus's abdomen. The needle was connected to a long thin tubing that lead into some kind of a vacuum pressurized contained. It didn't take long for the container to begin filling with the pale yellow fluid.

The doctor checked to make sure Klaus was hooked to an IV to ensure he was retaining his fluids to prevent low blood pressure from occurring, or his body going into shock.

"Alright, I'll be back in fifteen minutes or so to check on the progress. I'll need to monitor his vitals for an hour once the procedure is complete, otherwise, he will be free to return home."

Dave cradled Klaus's still body in his lap as he absorbed his love's appearance. Klaus looked so tiny, so frail in his arms. Dave stroked his fingers through Klaus's hair, he knew the act always brought Klaus such comfort. He certainly needed all the comfort he could get right now.

The siblings all circled around the bed, their hands all on Dave or Klaus in support. No one could speak; the fear and grief they all shared pounded through their vacant chest cavities—surely, their hearts had burst, ripped out of their chests, leaving them barren and cold. They were all numb. The well of their tears had long since run dry, leaving behind puffy bloodshot eyes. They were all still in shock.

And Klaus? He didn't even know yet, he had no idea of the truth - no knowledge of the fact that he was _dying_. How would he handle this news? How would they even tell him?

A soft groan emanated from Klaus's lips, his eyes pinching tight before opening into slits. His glossy pupils darted around the room, observing the people surrounding him.

"Guys," his voice was soft, barely above a whisper, "were you crying? Why are your faces all red and puffy?" he pinched his eyes shut, a short pained gasp departed his lips as his hands reached for his belly. Diego and Five grabbed onto his hands to halt the motion.

"Easy, Klaus. You have to stay still." Instructed Luther, he was rubbing Klaus's shoulder to comfort him.

"W-what? Why?" Klaus's eyes opened again and scanned down to his stomach, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion when he spotted the tubing. His gaze followed the tube to the container with his abdominal fluid inside. His eyes widened as he scrunched his nose in disgust at the sight of the fluid.

"You had ascites, Klaus. It's fluid buildup in your abdomen. It's what was causing you so much pain. They're draining it. It should make you feel better." Informed Vanya, she was running her hand up and down his leg. Klaus closed his eyes and eased back into Dave's embrace.

"Well, that's a relief," Klaus's eyes fluttered as he began to fall asleep again, he was just so tired, but something about the somber energy in the room and the deafening silence tugged at his mind, making it impossible for him to relax.

_Something wasn't right..._

"Guys, what's wrong?" Dave's body tensed beneath him at the question. Klaus tried to turn to face him but steady hands kept him still.

"Baby, you..I..." Stammered Dave, tears pricking his eyes once more.

"What baby, what is it? Is everything okay?" Klaus's voice was soft and pleading, he knew there was something wrong.

"Nothing is okay, baby.." Dave attempted to stifle his sobs, but he couldn't. He wasn't ready to say the words to Klaus, he wasn't ready to break his heart, "baby, you—I don't even know how to say it.."

"What? Say what? Baby, you're scaring me.." Klaus's own eyes were beginning to fill with tears. Dave pressed his lips to Klaus's brow. He pulled away, tears freely trickling down his face as he cupped Klaus's cheek in his unsteady hand. Klaus wrapped his fingers around Dave's wrist, his eyebrows furrowing in fear.

"It's my cancer, isn't it?" he asked feebly, his words cracking with each syllable. Dave closed his eyes as he nodded, a quick sob bursting out of his chest.

"I-I'm so sorry baby, it's—"

"Terminal?" Klaus finished, lips pinched into a tight line.

"It's progressed to stage four, Klaus. They found a new tumor on your liver and your lungs," Luther informed, seeing how much Dave was struggling just to compose himself, let alone find the courage to break his love's heart. Luther knew he needed to take his place as number one and deliver the gut wrenching news to his brother himself, "they want you to stop chemo and radiation immediately. To, uh..to make you more comfortable." he finished, his words growing quieter and less certain as they fractured off into silence.

"Oh.." Klaus didn't know what to say, or how to feel, or react to this news.

He's..._dying_?

He knew that was always a possibility ever since his diagnosis, but now the news took him by surprise. Learning that it was official, that he was going to _die_.

How was he supposed to feel?

"Well, at least I can say I gave it my best shot. Just wish my efforts would have paid off," he closed his eyes and leaned heavily against Dave, never releasing his wrists. A heavy quiet filled the room for a long moment before a loud gasp broke the silence, "I'm so sorry, Dave." Klaus wailed, his chest heaving for breaths.

"Baby, no, you have nothing to be sorry about. You are so strong, Klaus. You've been so brave, I'm so unbelievably proud of you, baby. I'm so sorry, I wish I could have saved you from this, you don't deserve this! I'm so sorry, baby." Dave buried his face into Klaus's shoulder, his tears soaking his hospital gown. Klaus wrapped his fingers around the back of Dave's neck with one hand, and interlocked their fingers together against his chest with the other, pulling him as close to himself as he could. He needed to hold him, to be held by him. They were both shuddering with fear, already overwhelmed with the inevitability of loss.

"I'm so sorry I won't be able to be here for you, Dave. I'm sorry I made you leave your timeline just to come here and watch me die. I'm so fucking sorry, baby. I love you so much, I don't want to leave you, I don't want to leave any of you! I don't want to say goodbye, I'm not ready!" Klaus wailed, his breaths coming in short ragged gasps through his pained sobs.

"Shh, take deep breaths, baby. It's not your fault, please stop apologizing. I'm so thankful I was here for you, that I am here for you. I'm so incredibly lucky to have met you, darlin. I wish we never had to say goodbye, I don't want to lose you. You're my whole world. I'm so sorry, I love you, baby. I'll be here for you until..until.." Dave's voice cracked as more sobs wracked his form.

The two lovers held onto each other, allowing their despair to soak their cheeks as their hearts shattered within their chests. They weren't ready to part; their story had only just begun. They still had so many wonderful things in life to experience together.

_Now they may never even get the chance to say their vows to one another..._

They were overwhelmed with a harrowing sense of loss, and they couldn't bear it.

Klaus took a deep breath before opening his eyes and longingly looking at his siblings, he had something incredibly important to say.

"Promise me," he began, his voice unsteady and filled with anguish, yet firm and commanding attention, "promise me that you'll all watch over Dave, keep him safe once I'm gone. You're all that he'll have. And..and promise me that you'll all continue to be there to support one another the way you've been there for me."

Klaus closed his eyes as he softly shifted his head, laying it against Dave's chest, deepening their contact and hold on one another, he needed his touch to ground him.

"Don't let things go back to the way they were before. Don't...don't go your separate ways, don't turn your cheek to one another. Continue to be there for each other, guide each other. Don't only gather for weddings or funerals," he opened his weary eyes again, although he was growing rather tired.

_He couldn't talk for much longer..._

"Have family game nights, and random karaoke parties. Treat each other to dinner - even if Luther's cooking could be considered attempted murder for food poisoning." his trembling lips quirked into a subtle smile as his siblings laughed at his words, "always dance like nobody's watching, but know that I'll always be there, silently criticizing every horrible move Diego teaches you." They all laughed again as tears freely fell from their anguished eyes.

"And please—remember me, for _me_. Not for _this_." he gestured to his sickly withered frame.

"Oh, Klaus," Allison latched onto his hand, "of course we will. We will be there for each other—that includes Dave. Whether he likes it or not, he's one of us now. We are all family. You don't have to worry about any of that, I promise you, we will make you proud. And we will always remember you as our beautiful, hilarious, insanely stylish," a sad chuckle sifted through Klaus's quivering lips, "wonderful, strong and unimaginably brave little brother." Klaus's eyes clenched shut, a wide smile spread across his face as a soft laugh graced his lips.

"I love you all so fucking much." he whispered, his energy quickly fading,

"We love you, Klaus." Allison smiled at him as she cupped his cheek, wiping his tears. Dave kissed his temple as he held him even tighter, savoring his presence while he could.

"God, I'm going to miss you all so much." Klaus whispered as his energy faded and he succumbed to sleep. Soft cries continued to fill the small room, no one could believe this was happening. They were _losing_ him, Klaus was _dying_, he was _fading_.

_And they couldn't save him..._

They shouldn't be having these conversations, they shouldn't need to make these promises, these acts should have just always been carried out. It shouldn't take the loss of Klaus to bring everyone together like this. They all had so many feelings and emotions swirling within their chests; fear, sadness, hopelessness, loss...

They weren't ready for what was inevitably to come. They never would be, never _could_ be.

_They should never need to be..._

The silence once again overtook them, until the sound of Allison's prayer filled the room.

"Lord, today we have a special prayer to submit to you. We pray for Klaus today in regard to his sickness, and also because of our fear. We humbly ask that you perform a miracle. For he is our world, and his presence in our lives is the greatest gift to us. We pray that he becomes a living miracle. We also pray that you safeguard our dearest Klaus and guide him safely through every experience he is to face in his life. Thank you for the grace to pray, we humbly ask that you please, answer our prayers, and offer our beautiful Klaus your protection. Amen."

"Amen."


	15. Chapter 15

_"Slow down, babe! You know I can't walk that fast!"_

_Klaus whined exasperatedly to Dave. He was ambling a good distance behind him up a steep hillside, strategically stepping over the tall blades of elephant grass still seeping with the early morning dew that his boyfriend had already chopped down; clearing a foot path for the two soldiers to traverse towards their destination._

_"I don't understand how a man with such long legs can take such short strides." Dave joked over his shoulder, poking fun at his boyfriend._

_The two men had already been on patrol in the Au Shau Valley for several hours, having started their mission when the sun first dipped below the horizon, allowing a vividly speckled blanket of stars to be their only guide on their journey through the night. They'd had no opportunity to stop to rest, and were both ready for a break to refuel their sore aching muscles and fill their empty bellies with a well deserved and highly anticipated meal._

_"Ugh, are we there yet?" Klaus was growing impatient as the hours passed them by, his irritability shining through with his tone. Dave only laughed, shaking his head as he rolled his eyes, the corner of his lip quirking into an amused smirk._

_"Patience is a virtue, darlin. We are almost there. I promise!"_

_"Patience is overrated! C'mon Davey. I'm starving, my feet hurt, I'm tired, I want a nap, I—"_

_"Complain too much." Dave chuckled, mimicking Klaus's confounded tone. Klaus gasped, clutching his imaginary pearls across his chest as he gawked wide eyed at his boyfriend's remark._

_"My! David, how kirt of you! I'm hurt!" He tilted his head back, laying the back of his hand across his brow feigning betrayal._

_"You're such a drama queen, babe, now come on, we are almost—oof!" Dave's words were cut short, as his boyfriend was suddenly wrapped around his body, nearly knocking him off his own feet._

_"Carry me, Davey! I'm feeble!" Klaus had all four of his limbs wrapped around Dave's torso, his forehead pressing against the back of Dave's sweat dampened neck. Dave couldn't help the laugh that burst from his lips, nor could he hide the smile that spread across his features._

_"You know, for someone who's 'so tired, so feeble' you sure climbed that mountain pretty quick." He turned his attention towards his love, Klaus's own smile barely visible over the fabric of Dave's army fatigues._

_"Ah, well, miracles do happen, Davey m'dear! Where there's a will, there's a way! I willed you to carry me, and well, looky there, it worked! Yay!" Klaus cheered softly, nuzzling his nose deeper into the crook of Dave's neck, the sweet smell of his sweat filling his lungs._

_"You're lucky you're so cute." Said Dave, as he pressed his lips against his love's arm wrapped just below his neck._

_"The cutest." Klaus hummed against his skin. Dave scooped Klaus's legs into his arms, his hands resting beneath his knees as he positioned his love's body in an easier to manage bundle on his back. "Ah, luxury, baby, you spoil me!" Klaus exhaled a laugh through his nose, pressing his lips to Dave's neck in a gentle display of affection._

_While the added weight of his boyfriend on his back didn't make their trek any easier (well, for him, anyways) Dave would never complain. He didn't know how he did it, but Klaus always managed to have him perfectly wrapped around his delicate little finger. And for whatever god forsaken reason; Dave loved it._

_In fact, Dave loved everything about that man._

_He loved the unapologetic wild nature that accompanied Klaus everywhere he went, he loved the way his nose crinkled before he'd sneeze, and the way his hair perfectly seemed to curl around his ears._

_He loved his smile; that big, beautiful toothy grin that was so incredibly infectious, Dave had to mirror it whenever he'd be blessed enough to witness it._

_Dave loved his eyes; those giant doe-like pools of emerald green that carried so much emotion behind their iris's. Dave could always tell exactly how Klaus was feeling just by looking him directly in his eyes, they truly were the windows into his beautiful soul._

_He loved his laugh, and the expressions he'd make while he'd laugh. Dave adored the cute little snorts that followed his overly excited chortling. He loved the feeling of his warm body pressed against his own, and the sensation of Klaus's remarkably soft curls between his own calloused fingers._

_He loved how much Klaus loved his hair to be stroked, even though he'd constantly goad him about it; when secretly, Dave loved doing it for him just as much as Klaus loved the feeling of it. Dave loved that behind Klaus's bravado of a tough no-fucks given exterior, he was a tender mushy puddle of love and goo right down to his core._

_In all 29 years he'd spent on this earth, Dave had never met anyone quite like Klaus..._

_Someone so genuine, so unique. So fun loving, so carefree, and yet so humble and so selfless all at once. Klaus was every bit a delicate flower as he was a reckless whirlwind of chaos. Klaus could always make him smile, or laugh no matter what shit storms they faced together during their battles in this war._

_He loved how Klaus went out of his way to help people, nurture them, and how he strived above and beyond to make others happy, always putting their needs above his own._

_Dave just loved Klaus, plain and simple. He loved Klaus, was in love with Klaus, and knew in his heart of hearts that this was the man he was meant to have beside him for the rest of his life._

_He wouldn't have it any other way..._

_"Alright, we made it. You can get off of me now, darlin." Klaus whined against his skin, the hot wisps of his breath tickling his flesh, making the delicate baby hairs on the back of Dave's neck stand at attention._

_"Don't wanna..m'comfy." Dave reached his hand around, entangling his fingers into the short curls at the nape of Klaus's neck. He craned his face to his boyfriend and looked him in his eyes._

_Klaus's eyes were smiling, the delicate lines on his features tugging around his eyes and his taught cheeks._

_God, he was so beautiful..._

_Dave was always left completely enamored every time he'd see his boyfriends face. His features were so delicate and yet so strong. The perfect balance of masculinity and femininity. He was, in his humble opinion, God's greatest work of art, and he was so proud to call that man his own._

_Klaus hummed when Dave seemed to be caught in a daydream and exhaled a quick chuckle._

_"Oh, Davey. You're cute when you're in la-la-land." He kissed his nose, then went ahead and clambered off of his love's back. He placed his hands on his hips and leaned back, eliciting a few cracks from his spine. Dave snapped out of his daze before clasping his fingers into Klaus's and dragging him to the clearing they'd trekked to._

_They were in a large open field, the grass was tall, yet manageable, and there were multiple tall evergreens surrounding the serene and quiet setting. Klaus shared a smile with Dave, as the latter dragged him to one of the many trees before pulling him down into a seated position on the ground beside him. Dave rummaged through the duffel he'd been carrying, pulling out a canteen of water and a bag of nuts. He tossed them both to Klaus who eagerly reached for them._

_"Ah, truly a gift from the heavens! Thank you, Davey!" Klaus held the items to the sky before pressing them against his lips. Dave retrieved his own water and meal as he leaned against the tree beside his love. The two soldiers sipped at their water and ravenously attacked their breakfasts before a contented silence fell over them._

_"Wow—it's crazy to think that in just a few short months, I'll be out of this place. On my way home." Dave had a distant look in his eyes, clearly deep in thought. Klaus hummed in response as he looked to his love, a soft smile tugging at his own lips._

_"Oh yeah, your tour is almost up. Wow, that—that went by quickly. I'm happy for you, babe." Dave turned his gaze to Klaus's, a delightful smile playing across his features._

_"Darlin, what are you going to do? You know, once you're out of here? We've never discussed our future plans before. What do you want to do once you are free from this hell hole?" Klaus's eyebrows tugged together, his lips pursing in thought._

_"Huh, ya know, I've never given it much thought before." He stated truthfully._

_He hadn't given it any thought, in fact. He never planned on being here at all, let alone think of when (or if) he could ever make it back to his own time. Considering his future after this place, after the war? Klaus hadn't the faintest idea of what to expect._

_"I suppose—try to get home to my family, try to mend some damage between us. We were never the splitting image of a 'loving family' growing up, we were always more dysfunctional than not. But, I don't know, that never stopped me from loving them. We weren't related by blood, but, those kookie bastards were all that I ever cared about in this world. Well, until you came along, that is." Their eyes met as they shared an adoring smile. Klaus's cheeks tinged pink as he blushed at Dave's attention on him, he hated talking about himself._

_"But, enough about me. What about you, babe? What are you going to do?" Dave's smile grew as he leaned his head against the bark of the tree, his eyes gazing dreamily towards the sunlight flickering through the canopy above._

_"I'm going to use the money I got from serving to buy myself a piece of land. Ten acres or more, with a nice little farmhouse. Maybe a fixer upper I can turn into my own little slice of heaven. It's going to have a barn, and a garden. And all kinds of animals, maybe even a pond to swim in during the summers."_

_"Wow, Dave that actually sounds amazing." Dave laughed, out stretching his arm across his raised knee. He looked at Klaus with a smirk and an incredulous look._

_"You can be honest, it's boring. But, that's just who I am. I've always enjoyed a quiet, peaceful life. You'd never guess it, since I signed up to be in this shit fest." He chuckled, shaking his head and tilting his chin towards his chest, "I've always loved using my hands, never been afraid of digging in the dirt. I prefer to dig into the soil after some carrots or potatoes, or shoveling manure instead of the soot and ash of gunpowder." He looked at his hands, forever tainted; stained with the color palette of war._

_"I'm ready to get back to my roots. Kind of..start over, ya know?" Klaus smiled lovingly at Dave. He reached across and intertwined his fingers into Dave's as he peered deeply into his stunning blue eyes._

_"I'm serious Dave, that sounds incredible. Wow, a quiet peaceful life?" Klaus closed his eyes trying to envision such a thing. "It sounds wonderful."_

_Dave looked at Klaus. He noted how his expression and tone both seemed so somber, like the thought of it made him somehow upset. Dave had heard of Klaus's life back home; he knew of his terrible father, and his siblings who seemed to never treat him with much respect, and yet despite all of that, he still loved them, admired them, even. Dave only wished Klaus could experience this with him, see what living, and what loving and being loved was really all about._

_Dave pressed his palms to the earth and used his upper body strength to maneuver himself closer to Klaus. He wrapped his arms around his love and lowered him towards his body, until Klaus's back was pressed against his chest. Dave pushed his fingers through Klaus's tangled curls, pressing his lips to his sweat glistening temple, eliciting a content sigh. Klaus smiled, relaxing into Dave's touch._

_"Come with me," Dave whispered. Klaus's smile dimmed as his eyes flickered open, brows furrowed with uncertainty._

_"What?" Dave's smile brightened, his palm cupping Klaus's cheek as his blue eyes met his loves swirling pools of emerald._

_"Come with me. We can build a life together, you and I. We can leave here, and continue our relationship outside of this place. We can—"_

_"Oh, baby, no. You..you don't want that. Trust me, no one ever wants me. Hell, I don't even want me—"_

_"What? Klaus, no! Don't talk like that, darlin. I love you!" Klaus's eyes widened at Dave's remark._

_It'd been eight months since Klaus was thrown into this world, seven since they'd gone 'official' and become an item. They'd grown closer than he'd ever grown to anyone his entire life. Dave treated Klaus the way he'd only dreamed he could ever be treated, and yeah, Klaus absolutely loved that man, but he'd never found the courage to tell him._

_Neither had Dave, that is, until that moment._

_"You...you wha—"_

_"Love you?" Dave laughed as he pressed his forehead to Klaus's, nuzzling their noses together, "Baby, I've loved you since the moment I first saw you." Klaus closed his eyes as a tear slipped down his cheek._

_He'd never been loved before..._

_"I...I love you too, Dave."_

_"Then come with me. Please? We can leave here, together. You and I. We can build a life together, grow old together on our little farm with our dogs, and cats, and goats, and—"_

_"Ponies! Can we get ponies, Davie? Ponies are so cute!" Dave laughed as he kissed Klaus's forehead._

_"They're cute, but what they may lack in stature, they more than make up for with colossal attitudes. I had a pony growing up, Georgie—cute as a button, sassiest son-of-a-gun I have ever had the displeasure of owning."_

_"Aw, he sounds cute." Both men laughed._

_"Cute, but terrible. We can have horses, though. Had a draft cross growing up, ole BJ. Now that was a remarkable animal. He was tall and all black except for a star, and a snip shaped like a flame on his nose. Kindest eye I've ever seen on an animal, and the most docile personality to match. I could pull that boy out of a field after months of him being off and be able to lead my niece around on him. I swear, it was like he knew she was a baby. He would slow down his pace, carefully setting each foot down. He was the perfect gentleman. Lived with my family until he passed away from natural causes at an old age."_

_"Wow, I want a BJ. And, for once, I don't mean that as a sexual innuendo." Dave chuckled as he ruffled Klaus's curls._

_"Well, if you accept my offer, I'll get you your own horse, one like my ole BJ. I'll get you whatever you want."_

_"Even a—"_

_"Except a pony." Klaus pouted before his lips quirked, tugging into a soft smile, his expressive eyes taking on a more serious tone._

_"You're serious, though? About us? About me?" Dave smiled as he wrapped his arms firmer around Klaus's frame, hugging him tighter against his chest. He pressed his lips to his curls, breathing in his scent._

_"I've never been more certain of anything in my entire life, darlin. I love you, I want you. I want to spend the rest of my days with you." Klaus's smile grew, his lips quivering as his heart thudded heavily in his chest._

_He finally found his slice of heaven, finally knew what love was—true love. Dave was his love, his heart, his soul. Dave was his entire world, and he didn't want to imagine living in a world without that man by his side._

_Dave felt the same..._

_"Then, yes. I'll go with you. I'll live on a farm with you, raise animals with you, learn how to tend to a garden with you. As long as I'm with you, I know I'll be happy. I love you, Davey. I love you, with every beat of my heart."_

_Dave smiled as he pulled away from Klaus. He pressed his lips to his loves, enveloping him in a kiss filled with so much heart, so much love, and passion. He knew this man was the one for him._

_They were made for each other..._

_He knew he'd finally found his missing piece; his soul mate in Klaus, and he couldn't wait to get out of this place with him, and begin their next exciting journey, together, with this man by his side..._

Dave was abruptly pulled from his thoughts by the sound of Klaus's pained whimpering. A little over a week had passed since they'd learned Klaus's cancer had advanced to stage four. Since they'd found out his cancer was terminal, there was nothing more that they could do.

Since they found out that Klaus was _dying_...

He'd stopped all of his treatments; the chemo, the radiation. Everything that had failed in saving his life. The only positive coming out of this entire situation was that without the treatments it thankfully helped relieve him from the majority of his nausea. His burns were still healing, however, so he was still in quite a lot of pain.

He and Dave had woken up and gone downstairs to join their family for breakfast. Klaus still didn't have much of an appetite, but he ate as much as his stomach would allow, which wasn't very much. It was oatmeal, not Klaus's favorite delicacy by any stretch, but it was a bland enough substance to not aggravate his nausea. He'd eaten nearly a third of the bowl before he pushed it away, clenching his eyes shut as he blew out a long shaky breath, his hand draped over his belly. He wasn't nauseous, thankfully. At least, not yet. He was just full and so, so very tired.

Klaus was always tired...

They'd hoped his energy would perk up a bit now that the chemo and radiation were out of his system. Sadly, it only seemed to have the opposite effect. Every day was a struggle for Klaus. The first few nights were especially terrifying. They were his first nights he could sleep throughout without the nausea caused by his chemo keeping him up all night. He was exhausted, and the length of time he slept showed it.

The day they returned from the hospital Klaus could barely keep his eyes open the entire ride back home to the academy. Surely he was emotionally drained from the news of his cancer spreading, but it just pained Dave to see his love so damn weak. It was early enough in the evening, only about five in the afternoon when they made it back. Grace offered to fix Klaus a bowl of soup, but he declined. He just wanted to go to bed, he was simply too tired.

He just wanted to rest...

He was too weak to make the trek upstairs, so Dave wasted no time in scooping him into his arms and ascending the flight of stairs with Klaus's exhausted form pressed tightly against his chest. Dave laid Klaus on the mattress and he fell asleep immediately. Dave joined him in the bed, he himself feeling drained over the news of his love. He just needed to lay there with him, hold him in his arms and be with him.

Dave pulled his love's frame into his warm embrace and just held him there. Dave couldn't hold back his tears, so he cried over him, careful not to wake Klaus, he needed all the rest that he could get. Dave eventually fell asleep beside his love, where he rested with Klaus firmly wrapped within his arms until waking up the following morning around six.

Klaus hadn't stirred the entire night, which Dave was thankful for; at first. But as the day seemed to press forward and Klaus still showed no sign of waking, he couldn't help the dread that filled his chest. Klaus didn't wake until nearly six thirty that night; over an entire day had passed, twenty five and a half hours. And when he finally awoke, he simply got up to use the restroom before going right back to sleep. Dave had to wake him up to force him to drink water, he didn't want to add dehydration to his grocery list of ailments.

His days continued like that for nearly an entire week; he'd sleep anywhere from fourteen to twenty hours at a time, only waking to go to the bathroom or drink some water. Occasionally, Dave could get him to eat something, but it was always a struggle. He just barely had any energy.

After the sixth day Klaus thankfully seemed to wake up refreshed; revitalized, even. Dave guessed he must've needed those days to catch up on the hours of sleep he'd lost during his cancer treatments. He'd hoped this resurgence of energy would last. Some days Klaus would be pretty okay, he'd have energy to go downstairs for a meal, spend precious time with Dave and his siblings. While other days, he'd simply be too weak to get out of bed.

Today was one of those days...

"Here, baby, drink some water." Dave held the bottle to Klaus's dry parched lips, eagerly hoping he'd take a sip.

Klaus's eyes were tightly closed, his lips snarled up in pain. His abdominal burns were beginning to heal now that he'd stopped radiation for over a week, but, he'd accidentally reopened a few on the way back up from breakfast, and the pain was just too much to bear. Not to mention, the added pressure in his belly now from his meal certainly didn't help. He was so full he was beginning to feel queasy.

"N-no, not right now. Please, baby. I just need some time to rest and digest."

"Klaus, you—" Dave went to protest, but a sharp pained gasp from Klaus followed by him clasping his hands over his mouth cut him short.

"M'gonna be sick—" Klaus thickly swallowed in a vain attempt to hold back the bile that was building in his throat, threatening to spill. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as the all too familiar sensation of nausea overwhelmed his slender frame.

Dave acted fast, bundling Klaus into his arms and hurrying him to the bathroom inside their room. Within seconds, Dave had Klaus on his knees bent over the toilet, purging his insides into the bowl. Klaus and Dave both swore that his body must've been making up for lost time, as he continued to retch for an extended duration. Even once his stomach was vacant, his belly continued its protest, heaving painfully for nearly thirty minutes more.

"I did not miss this..." Klaus's limbs were shaking, his forehead resting against the porcelain seat; the cooling sensation welcoming against his flushed skin. Dave was rubbing his back, cooing words of encouragement to him, attempting to bring his love some ounce of comfort.

"I really think you should drink some water, baby. Your body could really use the hydration."

"No, please. I'd just puke it up, anyways," Klaus coughed and spit into the bowl. He groaned, screwing his eyes shut, his fist clutching his upset belly with one arm as he pushed himself away from his porcelain prison with the other. He was unsurprisingly unsteady, his arms trembling with exhaustion. He went to stand, planting his feet beneath him but the room began spinning, he was just so dizzy, and—

"Easy, baby. I've got you. Let's get you back to bed, yeah?" Klaus could only nod as Dave hooked his arm around his waist, heaving his arm across his shoulder. He started to lead Klaus out of the bathroom, but he just seemed to lack the proper coordination to make his legs move. Dave frowned at that; he hated seeing the love of his life so feeble, so weak. He stopped, adjusting so he could approach this differently, he went to gather Klaus into his arms, but his love pressed his hand into his chest in protest, shaking his head.

"No, babe. It's okay, I'm okay, I can do it. I just..just give me a second, please?" He looked to Dave longingly, pleading with those beautiful green eyes of his to just let him do this; just please let him walk, lend him some independence. Dave tightened his grip on his waist with a nod.

"Of course, darlin. Take all the time you need. I'm here, I'm not going anywhere. You let me know when you're ready, okay?" Klaus nodded, sighing in relief as he closed his eyes, and steadied his breathing.

He just needed the room to stop spinning...

A good minute or two passed and Klaus finally opened his eyes, shifting his gaze to Dave.

"Okay, I think I'm good now. I'm ready." Dave smiled, kissing his temple as he slowly took a step forward, gauging Klaus's stride. When he felt confident that Klaus would be alright to make it back to the bed, he allowed his steps to return to a steady pace, easy for Klaus to match. Dave sat Klaus down when they made it to the bed. Klaus swayed, his eyes clamped shut as a soft moan left his lips. Dave laid both of his palms on each of Klaus's shoulders to steady him.

"You're dizzy...drink, baby, please. You're dehydrated, here," He reached for the water bottle as he sat on the bed beside his love. Klaus leaned against Dave, heavily resting his head against his broad shoulder.

"M'not thirsty.." Dave frowned, shaking his head.

"Sorry, darlin. This isn't optional, I need you to drink. Come on, at least a few sips. Don't make me have Grace hook you to an IV, 'cause I will if necessary." Klaus groaned as he closed his eyes, resting his palm across his stomach.

"Please don't make me.." Klaus begged, voice barely audible over his discomfort.

It broke Dave's heart to see how uncomfortable Klaus was, how something as rudimentary as drinking water struck fear of the discomfort to come from it into his heart. Dave hated feeling like the bad guy; forcing Klaus to eat or drink when he knew it was so difficult for him to, but he knew how important it was that he continued to do-so. Klaus could not afford to miss out on any vital nutrients, he desperately needed all that he could get.

"I'm so sorry, baby...please, please just take a few sips. For me?" Klaus's lips quivered at the thought, his stomach just hurt so badly, he really didn't want to drink. But, he also didn't want to allow himself to be reduced to needing to depend on an IV, either. He knew he had to keep fighting.

If not for himself, then for Dave...

Klaus groaned before peeling himself away from Dave's shoulder and sitting up. He knew he had to do this, he knew that Dave was right. Dave kept his hand pressed firmly against the small of Klaus's back to steady him.

"Okay, I'll do it." Klaus's unsteady hands reached for the bottle of water. Dave smiled proudly at Klaus as he handed it to him.

He watched as Klaus brought the bottle to his lips; he struggled with it, almost like the weight of it was too much for his weary hands to handle. Dave helped Klaus steady the bottle against his lips, tilting it up as his love sluggishly guzzled a few sips. The water dribbled from the corners of his mouth, pooling down his chin and splattering against his shirt. They worked together to pull the bottle away when Klaus started sputtering, struggling to drink anymore. It hurt to see how difficult this was for him. Dave set the water bottle down as Klaus coughed harshly into his cupped HELLO palm.

"Shh shh, easy darlin. Breathe..." Dave wiped the water away from his face before cupping his cheek into his palm, gently caressing his cheek bone with his thumb. Klaus stopped coughing but was heaving, trying to catch his breath. He wrapped his hands around Dave's wrist and smiled a tired, yet genuine grin.

"M'okay, baby." Dave's face shone brilliantly with concern for his love; something so simple and yet was so difficult, so draining for him. God, he hated this all so much.

"I love you baby, let's lay you down, get you comfortable, okay?" Klaus tiredly nodded as Dave helped ease his weary frame down against the mattress. He pulled the blankets over him, tucking him in.

Dave sat up in the bed beside his love, his legs splayed out on the mattress. Klaus shifted, resting his cheek against Dave's stomach as he wrapped his feeble arms around his waist. Dave smiled down at Klaus, running his fingers through his hair with one hand as he laced their fingers together with the other. They sat together like that for quite some time in silence, just holding each other in quiet appreciation. Klaus's eyelashes began to flutter as Dave's soothing touch was beginning to lull him to sleep.

"Hey babe, earlier you were daydreaming about something. What were you thinking about?" Klaus asked tiredly. He'd always been observant, keen to pick up on others feelings. It came as no surprise to Dave that he'd noticed that. Even while he was laying in pain himself, he'd realized Dave's mind was elsewhere. Dave exhaled as he tilted his head back, propping it against the headboard.

"A memory." He stated simply. Klaus hummed in acknowledgment, poking Dave's side, earning the man to slightly jump as he chuckled. Dave always had been rather ticklish.

"Spit it out, what memory?" Klaus tightened his eyes and stifled a groan as he adjusted himself so he could peer up to look at Dave in his eyes. Dave smiled, easing Klaus back down into a relaxed position against his lap.

"No, baby. Just relax, there's no need to get up."

"Tell me the story." He whined, allowing himself to relax against Dave's soothing touch. Dave took in a deep breath, readying himself to tell the tale. Klaus's body moving tandemly with Dave's chest as it rose, relaxing and falling with the exhale.

"Alright, then. Do you remember that mission we had, our third solo?" Klaus hummed in response.

"How could I forget," He smiled fondly at the memory, "that was the first time you told me you loved me." Dave smiled as he nodded, tucking his fingers back into Klaus's curls.

"Yeah, baby...yeah it was." Dave let off a soft sorrowful laugh as he continued, "I was just reminiscing on that. Remembering our conversations from that day. It feels like just yesterday we were planning on getting out of Vietnam, starting a life together on a farm, with horses—"

"And ponies." Klaus reminded while Dave laughed.

"And not ponies," Klaus huffed in mock annoyance, "It's weird how long ago that was already. Months to us, but years in truth. We were so eager, so excited." He smiled sadly, closing his eyes to will away his tears that were brimming there, threatening to fall.

"We were so bright eyed and bushy tailed back then, so set on just finishing our tour and building our lives together from that simple dream." He trailed off as a tear slipped over his cheek. He couldn't be bothered to wipe it away. Klaus sighed in his lap, his own eyes opening into slits.

"It was a beautiful dream, baby.." He said quietly, tightening his grip on Dave's hand. "I'm so sorry."

Dave stiffened at his words, at his apology. Klaus had no reason to apologize—none of this, absolutely none of it was his fault.

"Baby, no, please don't—"

"No, baby. I'm serious. You had this...this beautiful, wonderful picture perfect life all planned out for us. I couldn't wait to experience it, share my life with you. I was so happy, so ready to spend everyday with you by my side. And now...now I'll never get to experience that life. Never get the chance to grow old with you, tend to our garden, ride our non-ponies," Both men let out a pitifully sad laugh. "I'm so sorry I'm leaving you, baby. I promise I didn't want to. I promise I wanted to share that life with you, my whole life. I was so ready to, so willing, so eager. I love you so much, baby. So much...I-I'm so sorry." Klaus let out an agonizing cry, his shoulders hitching as he wailed. Dave couldn't control his own tears.

Dave hated this, he hated everything about it. He hated that Klaus was dying, that he would ever need to face the fact that they would need to say goodbye. He hated how broken his love was, how _scared_. How sad he was, how _terrified_.

He hated that this was happening at all. Klaus was the most amazing, most kind, beautiful and selfless soul; he didn't deserve this pain.

He didn't deserve this fate...

Dave scooped Klaus's shattered frame into his arms, clutching his love against his chest. Klaus buried his face against Dave's strong chest, his fiancé's devestated heartbeat panging against his ear, as Dave immersed his tear streaked face into his love's curls. The lovers clung to each other, arms interlocked around the others body in a soul crushing embrace. Neither man ever wanted to let go, never wanted to leave the other, to lose the other.

Never wanted to say goodbye...

"Don't ever apologize for this, darlin. None of this is your fault. I'm so sorry this is happening to you, you don't deserve this. I can't..I can't lose you." They cried, just embracing each other, holding onto one another and engrossing themselves with the other's presence.

"I love you so much, baby. I never want to let you go. I'm..I'm so sorry"

"I'm sorry, darlin. I just love you so much."

"I love you." Klaus's energy was fading, his emotions and cries leaving him completely exhausted. He cried himself to sleep, encapsulated in Dave's warm, loving arms. Dave continued to hold him, to rock him as he continued to weep for his love. He couldn't believe the reality they would need to face. He couldn't accept it, it just hurt him too much.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I love you so much. I'm not ready to lose you, and I never will be."

—-

**Authors Note:** _Thank you anyone still following along to this story. I hope you are still enjoying it! If you are, I crave validation, please let me know your thoughts in the comments below!_

_Also, the horse BJ in this story is based on my horse Bejai (pronounced BJ lol) so yo, shoutout to my faithful steed! haha _


	16. Chapter 16

Three more weeks came and went in the blink of an eye. Time seemed to be transcending rapidly; quickly passing everyone by like it was somehow running late for something, hurrying along to get to some unknown, seemingly more important destination sooner. To everyone around him, witnessing his decline in health, it felt as though God was pressing down the fast forward button on Klaus's life. Each day brought a new challenge for Klaus, some new struggle or woe. It pained everyone who witnessed it, his steep downhill battle of his health. It was scary to watch, especially knowing there was absolutely nothing that any of them could do.

They couldn't truly comfort him, how could they? Klaus was dying; each day passing by was merely bridging the gap to his inevitable and unfortunate end.

Klaus's wounds from his radiation were mostly healed by now; the only evidence of his treatment being the light pink scar tissue that covered his chest and abdomen, wrapping around his back. It improved with each passing day, unfortunately, that was the only thing about him that was improving. Klaus's health continued to deteriorate. Not quite a month had passed since the news of his impending fate, and yet his body was already beginning to give up on him, and starting to shut down. His strength was significantly depleting, doing any simple mundane task caused him to tire so easily. It didn't help that his weight continued to plummet even though he still did his best to try to continue to eat, no matter how difficult it was for him to do-so.

Honestly, Klaus had never been a big eater his entire life. Being homeless for years and never knowing when he was going to get his next meal made him adapt years ago to being able to survive off of a single meal a day; if even. So while he struggled to eat, it wasn't such an enormous change in comparison to his meal plans he'd experienced in his lifetime in the past. So why was his weight dropping so rapidly?

Klaus found out that when you have cancer, sudden weight loss is a common occurrence and your change in diet or exercise may not even play a role in it at all. After visiting his oncologist to voice his concerns about his weight, Klaus learned he was suffering from cachexia, which simply meant weakness and wasting away of the body due to a severe chronic or terminal illness. Or in other words, his body was literally withering away, and no matter how much he ate or didn't eat, it wouldn't have any impact on his weight or change the outcome. Not that it mattered, Klaus was never hungry anyways, but he refused to stop trying. Even if it was typically one meal a day, and not a very large portion, he still forced himself to eat. Dave and his siblings did their best to ensure he was getting enough nutrients; by adding dietary supplements and vitamins into his diet, anything to keep him strong and help him continue to fight for as long as he could.

The scariest issue Klaus was suffering from now, however, was he'd started to really struggle to breathe. The tumor on his lung was growing, pressing against the surrounding nerves and tissue within his chest. He frequently would feel an immense pressure; it felt as though someone was pressing down against his lungs, making it nearly impossible to catch his breath. He'd oftentimes be left feeling breathless, or severely winded. The feeling wasn't constant; not yet, at least, but Dr. Thomas informed him that as time went on it would only get worse. He recommended Klaus start utilizing an oxygen tank at home to help him breathe.

Klaus loathed that idea with a passion. It wasn't that he couldn't breathe at all, he just got winded easily and sometimes he would wheeze even while he was just sitting still. He refused to have to depend on an oxygen tank, or have a nasal cannula be a permanent fixture upon his features until he died. Dr. Thomas understood Klaus's fears; if he accepted the oxygen tank all the time then it was proving to himself he needed the help just to breathe.

If he couldn't breathe on his own, well, then...

Dr. Thomas still prescribed him a tank to keep at home. He didn't have to use it if he didn't want to, but he wanted him to have one readily available should he need it. Sadly, Klaus needed to use it much more frequently than he'd like to let on.

They'd hoped that his pain would begin dwindling, start getting better as his physical wounds healed, but they soon learned that Klaus's pain had only just begun to reveal itself. Klaus's stomach ached constantly now, his ascites was beginning to flare again, the fluid slowly building within his abdomen once more. He always felt so uncomfortable, his swollen belly making him feel unbearably full, bloated, and just awful. He hated this feeling, but he tried to ignore it as best as he could.

He tried to hide the fact that it was returning from everyone, including Dave. Klaus didn't want anyone worrying over something as simple as fluid buildup. It hurt, sure, but he was dying anyways, why bother freaking everyone out over something that in retrospect to him, was so minuscule in comparison to the reality of the bigger picture surrounding him. It was a much slower process this time, he'd figured that it would be fine. It was painful, but tolerable at this point. He'd leave it be and ignore it as long as possible for now. If it got worse, then maybe he'd try to do something about it. But for now he chose not to worry himself or anyone else over it.

Even though Klaus could physically feel the toll the cancer took on his body, and he was obviously well aware of the amount of pain he was constantly in, he decided he wouldn't waste another minute of what little bit of time he had left to live on wallowing in self pity. He wasn't going to let his health hold him back. He wouldn't allow his rapidly approaching death to deter him from enjoying what bit of life he has left to live. After all, if Klaus was known for anything in his lifetime it was for how stubborn he is. He wasn't going to just lay down and die, he was going to stand tall, dig his heels into the ground and fight for as long as possibe. For himself, for his siblings, and for Dave. He wasn't going to let his fragility stop him, he was going to muster what strength he had left and power himself through for as long as he could, he needed to continue to thrive and flourish all the way until the end.

Thanksgiving was fast approaching and Klaus had been reading numerous magazines and recipe guides to learn how to make a holiday feast. He'd been resting up for the last couple of days, attempting to salvage as much energy as possible so that he would be able to gather the necessary ingredients and prepare a special meal for his loved ones. He'd never gotten the opportunity to do-so before, they'd never been on the best of terms. However, now with their family bond growing stronger with each passing hour, and with Dave in the picture, he knew he needed to do something for the special people in his life. Especially since this may be his only chance to do-so.

Klaus rolled over in bed, wrapping his arms around Dave's slumbering shoulders, twirling a lock of his loves dirty blonde curls at the base of his neck around his slender fingers. Klaus smiled as he laid there, simply admiring his fiancé's sleeping form. Klaus always thought Dave looked so beautiful when he slept, so serene and peaceful. He almost felt guilty for what he was about to do. Almost, of course, being the key phrase. Klaus pressed his lips to Dave's forehead, then his nose, each eyelid and cheek before finally landing on his lips. Dave's eyes fluttered as he smiled into the kiss, returning the gesture to his love.

"Morning baby, sleep well?" Klaus asked softly as he kissed Dave's forehead once more. Dave's smile grew as he inhaled a deep breath, his legs stretching out beneath the blankets as he yawned.

"Always when I'm with you, darlin." Dave kissed Klaus's temple as he ran his fingers through his tousled brunette curls.

The two men laid there just admiring one another for a lengthy moment of time. This was their new daily ritual; to wake up and smother each other in as much love as possible, drench their skin in tender kisses, and just soak up as much of this peaceful time as they could. Each moment where they could just relax and be with one another was a precious moment, one that they wanted to savor and engrain deep into their memories. These were the most beautiful moments in their lives.

"Hey, baby, will you do me a huge favor?" Klaus finally broke the silence. He draped his arm over Dave's bare chest as he absentmindedly traced his cool fingertips in tiny nonsensical circles on the skin there. Dave situated himself so his arm was wrapped around Klaus's shoulders, his love's head resting above his heart. Klaus peered up so that his gaze was fixated on his fiancé's handsome face as he smiled with adoration towards him. Dave returned the smile as he pressed his lips to Klaus's once more. God, he would never get enough of his affection, he loved that beautiful man so much.

"Sure, darlin. Anything." Klaus smiled as he nodded. He quickly nuzzled his face closer to his love's chest, his heart beating a soothing tone against his ear.

"I need to go grocery shopping today before the holiday tomorrow, will you take me?"

"Shopping? You don't have to, darlin. I can go for you—"

"I'll wear a mask, please?" Dave's smile quirked into a lopsided one. He ran his fingers through Klaus's curls again as he rested his head back against his pillow.

He didn't think it was a good idea, Klaus was so weak and grocery shopping took a lot of energy; shit it was draining for Dave and he didn't even have cancer. Not to mention, the flu season was in full swing right now. Mask or no mask, Klaus's immune system was severely compromised, being out and about may not be the wisest of decisions.

But he knew how important it was to Klaus that he made this meal for his family, it was all he'd been talking about for the last week and a half. He'd wrangled Dave into picking him up an assortment of Food Network magazines and other holiday food related recipe guides. He'd asked Dave days ago to help him create this meal for his family, he even agreed to take it easy for a few days prior to reserve as much energy as he could to prepare the feast. But he didn't think Klaus would want to cook the meal and do all of the shopping for it, too. He'd expected to get a list and do that portion of it himself.

Dave couldn't say no to Klaus, though. Not when he could hear in his tone of voice just how important this was to him. He did ask nicely, after all. And he wouldn't be alone, Dave would be with him the entire excursion. Perhaps it would be fine.

"Okay, darlin. If you're sure you're up for it, I'll take you. But you have to promise me you'll take it easy, and be honest with me and yourself about how you're feeling. If you need to take a break, you take one. Understood?" Klaus's smile was beaming, he was unbelievably relieved Dave was allowing him this freedom. He wanted to be a part of as much of the action going into this meal as possible, he was so incredibly thankful for Dave allowing him this.

"Thank you, baby! I promise!"

—

They arrived at the overly crowded grocery store a little after eleven in the morning. Finding a parking spot was a bitch, they were parked probably in the furthest spot from the entrance. Dave wanted to drop Klaus off at the front of the store but he refused, saying he was feeling rather well today, and that he'd be fine with the exercise; insisting that he needed to keep his strength up anyways. Stubborn as he was, Dave couldn't help but admire his strength.

By the time they traversed what felt like a mile from the car to the store (when in reality the distance was maybe the equivalent of a city block) Klaus was rather winded and had to sit down on the bench out front to catch his breath. Dave sat beside him and gently stroked his fingers up and down his back to soothe him.

"Why don't you ride one of those electric buggies with the basket? Those look fun, huh?" Dave tried to suggest, he just wanted Klaus to be as safe and comfortable as possible. Klaus couldn't hide his scoff or the eye roll that accompanied it. He was not enthused by Dave's recommendation.

"Yeah, loads of fun - if you're a 90 year old diabetic with no leg." He retorted through his panting.

"Hey now, you just described my grandfather. I'll have you know, he said they're amazing."

"I rest my case."

"Darlin, you're already struggling, and we haven't even made it inside the store yet." Klaus straightened his posture, his hands planted on his slender thighs as he continued to heave for breath.

"I'm fine, babe. I can handle this - I don't need to ride the stupid electric thingie - just give me a minute - to catch - my breath."

Dave didn't like it, but he allowed it. After a few minutes Klaus was feeling well enough to continue, so Dave helped him stand, looping their arms together as he grabbed a regular shopping cart before entering the store. Half way down the first aisle, Dave came to the quick conclusion that grocery shopping the day before a major holiday was not a wise decision.

The store was filled to the brim with people, aisles barely passable through the sea of bodies and shopping carts. Shelves, thank the lord, at least seemed to be stocked. He would have been decidedly pissed had he dragged Klaus out into this just to leave empty handed and break his love's heart. After a while of maneuvering through the crowds and finding numerous items on their list, Dave could tell Klaus was beginning to tire. His pace slowed down considerably as the familiar raspy wheezing sounds brushed past his parted lips.

"Okay, I think it's time for a break." Dave suggested as he peered around the store to look for a seat for Klaus. As he looked around though he found there was nowhere to sit. The seating areas were all filled with people. Klaus was panting again, now. He leaned forward, resting his palms against his knees as he closed his eyes and tried to focus on taking deep breaths. They didn't have his oxygen tank with them, so he needed to calm his breathing before it turned into an issue.

Watching Klaus struggling so hard to breathe broke Dave's heart. They were almost done, they had all major items checked off of their list, all they needed now was to pick up dessert, the vegetables for the side dishes, and a few small miscellaneous items. Dave looked to Klaus and then to the cart. He repeated this action two more times as an idea flashed into his head. He rolled the cart up to his love and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I have an idea baby, just trust me, okay?" Klaus looked to Dave and nodded as he scooped him into his arms. He helped Klaus situate his feet against the spoke across the tires at the front of the cart as Dave eased Klaus's fingers around the handle so that he was standing in front of him while he pushed. It wasn't a chair, no, but it was a way for them to get around the store without Klaus exerting any more unnecessary energy. Klaus smiled at Dave in appreciation.

"Good idea, babe."

Dave pushed Klaus around the store as they collected the necessary items for their feast. Klaus's smile was beaming; even though he'd wasted quite a bit of energy through the majority of this shopping extravaganza, now that Dave was pushing him around on the cart, Klaus couldn't help but feel like a kid again. He and his siblings used to hang off of the shopping cart like this when they'd accompany their mother grocery shopping when they were younger. This reminded him of those simpler times. Dave couldn't help but smile when he saw the look on his love's face, he missed seeing that smile; that beautiful Cheshire-like grin.

"Wee!" Klaus called as Dave ran him down the center of an empty aisle, the wheels on the cart squealing in his haste. The joyous nature of Klaus's voice, and the giggling that followed warmed his fiancé's heart. Dave was smiling and laughing, racing up and down the aisle just to entertain the love of his life. He too felt like a kid again. It was amazing to Dave how something so simplistic, so childish could brighten their moods, make everything seem almost okay. Funny how such a silly thing could spark such joy in their hearts. Both men had to admit, it was rather refreshing. When they'd collected their final items and checked out, Dave rolled Klaus back to the truck. The two grown men certainly received a few odd glances; what with Klaus perched on the cart like an adolescent child would be, but they didn't allow the judgmental looks to phase them, and certainly wouldn't allow others bigoted opinions to soil their mood. Tired or not, Klaus had an amazing day today.

Once he was settled into the passenger seat of the truck and Dave had loaded the groceries into the back, they began their journey back home to the academy. Klaus was exhausted, but he couldn't contain his smile. He leaned back in his seat, tilting his head towards his love as he wove his fingers between Dave's. Dave glanced towards him, his own warm smile adorning his handsome features.

"Thank you for today, baby. I needed this. It was fun." Klaus stated tiredly. He truly hadn't had more fun in quite some time; weak or not, it made him nearly forget about his cancer. He was just caught up in the moment, reliving something that once brought him such joy. He was so happy Dave was with him for this, so happy to have been able to create this lovely memory with his fiancé by his side. Dave brought Klaus's hand to his lips, planting a kiss against the tender skin there before laying their hands back down on the seat, where he delicately rubbed circles into Klaus's soft skin with his thumb.

"Of course, darlin. I'm glad I could be there for you, I'm happy you had fun. I did too." Both men smiled at each other simply absorbed within the others eyes, their adoration for one another overwhelming the small space of the cabin within the truck. "You're tired. Let's get you home to rest now okay, baby? I'll handle hiding the ingredients. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day. You just relax, alright?" Klaus nodded as he closed his eyes, resting his head against the back of his seat. He was tired, drained from their little adventure, but it was so worth it. Dave just held his hand as they finished their journey back home.

When they arrived, Klaus had fallen asleep in the truck; his lips parted as his soft breaths whispered out in light snores. Dave wouldn't dare disturb him, he just looked so peaceful and he needed his rest, so he took the opportunity to carefully gather his fiancé's slumbering form into his arms and carry him upstairs to bed. He laid his love down on the mattress, being sure to pull his shoes off of his feet before tucking the blankets around his slumbering figure. Dave sat with him for a few more minutes, just running his fingers through his hair and watching him sleep. Klaus's lips were quirked into the most delicate smile, Dave couldn't help but bask in the glory of his beauty - at least for a little while longer. Dave eventually made his way back downstairs to gather their grocery haul from the truck and tuck all of the items into their appropriate hiding places; they couldn't risk Klaus's siblings finding the ingredients, and spoiling the surprise Klaus worked so hard to plan. He eventually made his way back upstairs to accompany his love while he continued to get some much deserved rest.

—-

Dave and Klaus were sitting shoulder to shoulder at the table within the kitchen, softly giggling back and forth to one another as they joked around and spoke about their plans for the day. Dave was elbows deep in potato skins, having peeled nearly the entire ten pound bag of russets for the mashed potatoes they would be making for the feast, while Klaus tediously worked at snapping the ends off of the many green beans for the green bean casserole that he knew Vanya loved so dearly. They'd already worked together to dress the turkey; filling its cavity with stuffing before Klaus slathered the bird down with a delightful homemade herbed compound butter. Dave shimmied the heavy nearly twenty pound turkey into its bag, nestling it into its deep baking dish before hoisting it into the oven. Klaus knew how much Diego loved turkey - he hoped he'd like his. Klaus had never cooked any of this before, but he remembered hearing his siblings discuss their favorite things to indulge on for thanksgiving, so he wanted to be sure everyone got exactly what they loved most.

Klaus had already assembled the sweet potato casserole, which was currently sitting under the broiler, allowing the marshmallow topping to melt and brown just ever so slightly. He knew Five would be ecstatic over that, he'd always been a marshmallow enthusiast, even in his old age. The candied carrots, which had always been Allison's favorite were simmering away on the stove top, while Luther's favorite pecan pie sat ready on the counter for dessert. Now all that was left was the mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and the gravy; which needed to wait until the turkey was done to make. When Dave finished peeling the potatoes he carried the heavy bowl of them over to the counter and started chopping them into cubes. Klaus smiled at him in thanks while he finished the last few beans for the casserole.

Klaus was so incredibly grateful for Dave; he'd already been a huge help today in the kitchen to Klaus, doing all of the hard manual labor while Klaus mostly delegated tasks to him while he himself took it easy. He'd slept for the rest of the day after their shopping trip yesterday, and throughout the rest of the night, but he still was feeling rather tired today. Even now, while he was sitting down he just felt a little off. Perhaps it was because they'd woken up early, around six in the morning so that they could get a head start on prepping and preparing this feast. He certainly hoped that was why, anyways. He was just so tired, and he kept experiencing a weird feeling within his chest. Klaus momentarily halted tending to the green beans to rub his sternum when the peculiar feeling there flared once again. It was strange, it felt like there was a swarm of moths inside his heart, fluttering around in a fitful manner. The sensation caused his breath to hitch, it was just so uncomfortable. He wouldn't let this feeling dampen his mood, though. Today was a special day, one for celebration and giving thanks.

"Potatoes are boiling, darlin. Need any help finishing up those beans? Or should I do anything else?" Dave asked as he sat back down beside his love. Klaus pulled his hand away from his chest to continue working on the beans and smiled tiredly at Dave while he shook his head.

"Thanks, baby, but, I've got it. There's just these last few." He continued to slowly snap all of the ends off of the green beans and deposit them into the bowl. Dave rubbed Klaus's back and kissed the top of his curls as he stood to make his way to the fridge. He pulled out two water bottles before sitting across from Klaus at the table so he could see him better. He laid both bottles on the table and pushed one across to his love, hinting to him to take a break and drink. Dave frowned when he finally took in his fiancé's appearance. Klaus had dark bruising circles under his eyes, and his skin was absurdly pale, even in comparison to normal. It just exaggerated his gaunt features; his hollow cheeks and sunken eyes. He just looked so..._sick_.

"You feeling okay, darlin?" Dave asked. Klaus snapped the final green bean and set it into the bowl before grabbing ahold of the water bottle and finally taking a sip.

"Hm? Yeah, I'm fine, just tired," Dave didn't look impressed by his answer. Klaus must've noticed because he was quick to finish his statement, "babe, I'm okay, I promise. I'm just tired. Will you wash these for me and pat them dry, please?" He pushed the bowl of beans towards Dave as he took another sip from the bottled water. Dave nodded, sending his love a soft smile before grabbing the beans and heading to the sink. Dave washed and dried the beans before he laid them into the baking dish while Klaus slowly but surely got up to make his way to finish the casserole. Dave noted how slowly he walked, he just seemed so off today.

"You sure you're okay beautiful? You can sit down if you want, I can finish up here. I don't mind at all—"

"Babe, I'm fine. Now, scoot over, let me work." Klaus shimmied himself in front of Dave so he could tend to the casserole. Dave delicately wrapped his arms around Klaus's waist, pressing his lips to his fiancé's shoulder before stepping back, allowing Klaus to finish what he knew he so desperately wanted to do.

"Alright, fine. I'll be right over there," He pointed to the table, "just let me know if you need anything, okay?" Klaus nodded and sent him a smile before tending to the green beans, mixing them in the dish with the necessary ingredients to transform the boring old beans into a delicious holiday side dish.

Dave sat down at the table. He positioned himself in a chair so he could keep a close eye on his fiancé while he busied himself in the kitchen. He admired Klaus's drive, he certainly was one tough cookie, but he wished he'd listen to his body more often. Dave could tell Klaus wasn't feeling his best today. Yesterday they'd had some fun while shopping, but overall it was a tiring experience, he didn't blame Klaus for being so exhausted today. He just wished he'd admit it to himself, and accept his help and _rest_ like he _should_ be. Klaus finished assembling the green bean casserole just as the oven sounded, alerting them that the turkey was done.

"Perfect timing." He cooed, his vivacious smile spreading across his pale features as he turned to Dave, gesturing towards the oven. "Babe, will you take out the turkey?" Dave got up and removed the main dish from the oven, setting it down on the stove top to rest. Klaus slid the casserole into the oven before slipping his hands into a pair of mitts and removing the sweet potato casserole which was cooked to perfection. He set it down on the cooling rack on the counter before walking to the silverware drawer to grab a fork so he could check on the potatoes. He drove the fork into the boiled russets to test how cooked they were.

"Babe, these are done. Will you drain them for me?"

"Of course, darlin." Dave drained the potatoes, the hot starchy water flushing down the drain as the steam wafted up to his chiseled features giving the man a quick facial. He swished the pot side to side to settle the potatoes back down into it before setting them on the counter where Klaus was patiently waiting, fiddling with the salt and pepper shakers. Klaus immediately added butter, sour cream, salt and pepper to them before he topped it with a drizzle of milk. He grabbed the masher and immediately got to work. Klaus never realized how tiring it would be to mash potatoes. His arms were burning, and he'd already broken a sweat. He let out a breath and paused, wiping his forearm across his sweat slicked brow. Suddenly, he started to feel so dizzy. Klaus shook his head before continuing to work on the potatoes, they were almost done, he could finish this. Just a few more—

"Baby, are you okay?" Came Dave's worried voice over his shoulder.

"I-I'm fine." He stated flatly through his panting. When did he lose his breath? Was he shaking?

"Darlin—"

The familiar flutter in his chest returned and he instantly faltered. Klaus's shaky hands released the masher, his hands slamming against the countertop as he wrenched his eyes shut when the room began spinning, causing him to sway dizzily.

"I think I need to sit—" Dave instantly grabbed ahold of him to steady him when his knees began to buckle out from beneath him.

"Woah, easy darlin. Come on, let's sit you down." Klaus could only nod as Dave guided him to the chair at the table. Klaus was shaking, his breathing rushed and unsteady.

"Deep breaths, baby." Klaus tried to listen but he just couldn't quite catch his breath.

He couldn't breathe...

"Easy baby, calm down. I'm going to get your oxygen! Try to take deep breaths!" Without hesitation Dave sprinted to fetch Klaus his oxygen tank. He was on the verge of hyperventilating. He'd pushed himself past his limits, already. Klaus fucking hated this! He just wanted to do something nice for his loved ones, couldn't he just get this chance without something going wrong, for once?

Dave returned with his oxygen tank and wasted no time sliding the cannula over his love's head and resting the nubs inside his nostrils. Klaus took in a deep breath and at last he was able to breathe.

"Deep slow breaths, baby. In and out." Dave grabbed Klaus's hand and stayed with him, coaching him through his breathing. It took a few minutes but Klaus's breaths finally evened out and returned to normal.

"Thank you, baby. Sorry, I guess I pushed myself too far." Dave smiled sadly at Klaus, cupping his cheeks in his hands. He kissed his forehead before peering deep into his stunning green eyes.

"No apology necessary, doll. Just sit. You've done plenty. I'll handle the rest."

"Thank you, baby." Klaus relaxed into his chair and just continued to focus on his breathing while Dave finished mashing the potatoes just as the ovens ringer went off. The green bean casserole was done, so Dave pulled it out of the oven and got to work on making the gravy for the turkey. Klaus was feeling much better now that he could breathe. He decided he was well enough to help Dave, so he stood up and started setting the table.

"You got it?" Dave called to him as he watched Klaus carefully setting the plates and silverware down on each placemat. Klaus shot him a reassuring smile.

"Yeah, I can handle this."

Dave arranged the food on the center of the table, the turkey as the centerpiece surrounded by the side dishes. Everything looked fantastic, he couldn't believe how good of a cook Klaus had become. And the smell? Wow...

Klaus took a seat at the table again. He was feeling significantly better but he was still just so tired. He felt confident enough that he'd be okay without his oxygen tank for the dinner so he slipped it off of his head. Dave took it from him and set it in the other room so it was close by should he need it again.

"What smells so good down here?" Came Allison's voice as she descended the staircase, multiple sets of footsteps following behind her.

"Holy shit." Diego exclaimed when he entered the kitchen, his eyebrows raising to his hairline in surprise when he noticed the feast. "Did Martha Stewart pay us a visit?" He strode over to Klaus and gently rubbed his shoulders as he smiled down at him. Klaus tiredly smiled, laying his hand over Diego's.

"Actually, this was all Klaus's handiwork." Dave informed as he sat beside his love. Everyone circled around the table, eyes widening in amazement at the thanksgiving feast he'd prepared.

"Klaus, you did all of this?" Luther asked. He couldn't believe how above and beyond his brother had gone. This was truly a feat, especially for someone as sick as he was. "You didn't have to do all of this—"

"I wanted to, Luther. I can't take all of the credit, though. Dave did most of the work."

"Hey now, I just lifted a few things and peeled potatoes. This was all Klaus's doing." Dave defended. He'd helped but he wouldn't dare take any credit. This was Klaus's baby, he planned it all, he researched every recipe and poured all of his heart and energy into this. He deserved every ounce of the credit.

"Is that sweet potato casserole?" Five exclaimed excitedly as he sat at the table across from his sickly brother. Klaus exhaled a tired chuckle as he nodded.

"It sure is, marshmallows and all. Just for you, Five. And green bean casserole for Vanya, candied carrots for Allison, turkey for Diego, pecan pie for Luther and mashed potatoes for Dave and Ben."

"What about you, Klaus?" Vanya asked as she joined her family around the table. Klaus smiled warmly as he took in a deep breath.

"This is for me," He spoke softly as he gestured around the table to his family, at all of their smiling faces, "Seeing you all smile is enough for me. I did this for all of you because I love you guys." Dave and Diego each set their hands on Klaus's shoulder in praise. They were so incredibly proud of him for all that he'd done.

Everyone was so impressed by Klaus's kind act. He'd always been a deeply caring and selfless soul. They couldn't believe he did all of this, creating a beautiful feast for all of them to celebrate and enjoy each other. He's so sick, so weak, he shouldn't bother himself with such tedious tasks. And yet, here they are. He's always been full of surprises. That's just who he is.

"So, who's going to do the honor of carving the bird?" Klaus asked as he smiled around the table at each of his siblings.

"Ah, don't mind if I do." Diego stood to grab a proper knife from the kitchen. He worked to perfectly carve the turkey, separating the wings, thighs and legs to the side before slicing the perfectly cooked breasts into properly sized portions. Diego had to stifle his drool that threatened to pool from his mouth at the sight of the turkey, it was so juicy and smelled divine.

"Looks delicious, Klaus. Wow." Luther rubbed his hands together as he leaned forward, reaching for the spoon in the mashed potatoes but Allison stopped him.

"Wait," She called, earning everyone's undivided attention, "we need to go around the table and say what each of us are thankful for." Vanya nodded at her sister.

"Yeah, that's what you're supposed to do, give thanks, it's what this holiday is all about." Luther pulled his hands away as he nodded.

"Of course, who would like to start? Klaus?" Klaus laid his hands in his lap as the corner of his lip quirked into a subtle smile.

"Yeah, sure. I'll go first." He smiled as he entangled his fingers into Dave's hand to his left, and Diego's to his right. Both men took the cue and followed his lead, clasping hands with the person to their opposing side until everyone's hands were intertwined around the table, connecting them all as a whole. He cleared his throat as he peered into each person's eyes around the table.

"I guess I would like to begin by just saying I am so incredibly thankful for each and every single one of you. You've all stayed by my side throughout my...illness. None of you have complained when I've needed your help, and you've been patient with me when I've stuck to my stubborn roots. I'm thankful for the strides we have all made as a family this year." He paused to inhale a few deep breaths before continuing.

"I love you guys so much, I mean it. I'm so thankful for my family; my brothers and my sisters." He paused as he turned his attention to Dave.

"And Dave. Words can't even begin to describe how thankful I am for you, baby. My rock, my shoulder to cry on, my noble steed when my body is too weak to stand." He chuckled tiredly as he squeezed Dave's hand within his own.

"Never in my life would I have ever believed I'd ever meet someone quite like you. You've taught me what love truly is, and I'll always be so grateful to you for that, Dave. My fiancé..." he trailed off as he closed his eyes when they began to brim with tears. Dave leaned in, kissing his forehead as he pulled his hand away to lay Klaus against his chest.

"I love you, darlin." Dave whispered into his curls. Klaus's lips quivered as a soft sob left his lips, "Shh it's okay." Dave soothed. Klaus held onto Dave tightly, pressing his sullen face against his loves strong, broad chest. He just needed to hold him, to be held by him.

"I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry we will never get the chance to walk down the aisle, or say our vows, to say I do. I wanted nothing more than to be your husband. I couldn't wait to be, baby. I was so excited to begin our life together on our little farm with our animals, our garden and our pond to swim in on those hot summer days. I'm sorry I'm going to miss out on that beautiful life. I'm so sorry I'm ruining your dream." Dave buried his face into Klaus's curls, his own tears tumbling down his cheeks.

He hated how Klaus blamed himself for this. It wasn't his fault he was sick, he couldn't help the fact that he has cancer. He hated how heartbroken his love was over this situation, over Dave's expense.

"Baby, no," He whispered into his curls before leaning back and pulling his fiancé's face between his gentle hands, "You have no reason to apologize for anything, you understand me? You have been so incredibly strong and brave throughout all of this, darlin. You should be proud of how far you've come. Never, ever, feel guilty over any of this. I love you so much, baby. I'm so thankful I've been able to have you in my life for as long as I have. Every second I spend with you is more than enough. You are my love, my soul, my sunshine. You are my entire world, darlin. Never apologize for being sick, ever. None of this is your fault." Klaus closed his beautiful green tear filled eyes as he buried his face against Dave's chest. He didn't want to leave, he didn't want to ever lose his love. He never wanted to say goodbye. Dave just held him and rocked him, kissing his curls and cooing to him to ease his heartache.

"I-I'll go next," Diego spoke to break the tension and allow his brother to weep. He laid his hand on Klaus's back in support while he spoke, "I'm thankful for our beautiful brother, Klaus. I'm thankful for his bravery, his strength. I'm thankful for the immense amount of love that has always radiated from within him, and how selfless he has always been, even now. I'm thankful for Dave," He looked into Dave's tear filled blue orbs as he smiled.

"For loving our brother wholeheartedly. For being someone Klaus could depend on without fear or hesitation. For being exactly what our brother deserved. Thank you, brother." Dave nodded, smiling at Diego as he grabbed his hand.

"I'm thankful for Klaus and Dave as well," Vanya spoke as she smiled across the table to the couple before her, "I'm thankful they found each other and have been there to be each other's support through all of their ups and downs in their lives. I'm thankful Klaus was able to find someone who treated him with the respect and love he's always deserved. I'm thankful Klaus has finally been able to love and be loved the way he always should have been." Klaus tilted his head to peer as his sister. They shared a smile between one another.

"I'm thankful for the time we have all been able to spend together, and the support we've been able to give to you, Klaus." Allison began as she smiled tenderly to her ailing sibling.

"I'm thankful for the joy and laughter you've always brought to this family. You've always been able to make us smile, Klaus. And I'm thankful for Dave for being able to still make you smile even while you've been so sick. I'm thankful you two were able to find each other, you deserved each other. I've never seen a more perfect couple in my entire life. Your love is so pure, so natural and so genuine. It's beautiful, just like you." Klaus sat up as he laughed sadly at Allison's kind words. Dave pressed his lips against his forehead before wiping at his tears.

"I'm sure I sound like a broken record, but I'm thankful for you too, Klaus. And you, Dave." Five smirked across the table at his brother.

"You've always been a whirlwind, Klaus. Unpredictable and wild in the most mesmerizing and somehow oddly graceful way." Everyone laughed softly at Five's words.

"Admittedly, it's been scary to see you like this; so sick. It's so unlike you to be this quiet and reserved. I miss your flouncy behavior and your ridiculous quips. I'm happy to say that I don't miss you though, Klaus. Because I don't have to, because you're still here. And as subdued as your behavior has been your heart still shines through. Even as sick as you are you still manage to light up the room wherever you go, Klaus. Your smile is still so infectious, as is your laugh. The amount of love that seeps from your every pore is outstanding. I'm thankful for you, Klaus. I'm thankful for who you have always been, a genuinely amazing person who I am proud to call my brother."

"Thanks guys." Klaus spoke softly, emotionally and physically drained.

"Of course, Klaus. We are all thankful for you." Luther smiled across the table at his brother.

"I am, too. I'm thankful for your brilliant soul. Your selflessness, your bravery. You've faced some crazy shit in your life, things I couldn't even begin to understand, and you've always done so with a smile on your face. I don't know how you do it, Klaus. I've always admired you for that. Especially now. You've been dealt the shortest straw and you've continued to press forward and put on a brave face. I know you're scared; we all are, none of us want to lose you. I can't imagine a world without you in it," he trailed off to wipe at his own tears. Allison laid a comforting hand on his shoulder while she rubbed his back with her free hand.

"You've made this world a better place, Klaus. You may not even realize it, but you've single handedly brought this family together. You are the tie that bound us together, brother. We will always be here for you, no matter what. We are so unbelievably thankful for you. We love you, Klaus. More than you'll ever know." Klaus took a few moments to compose himself, and catch his breath. He was so moved by everyone's touching words to him about him, and his love. He couldn't believe how loved he truly was.

"Thank you, guys. Really, I love you all so much."

"We love you, Klaus." He smiled as a soft laugh escaped his lips.

"So, are we going to eat, or are we just going to let this feast get cold? Come on, dig in, everyone."

Everyone laughed as they dug into the feast their brother worked so hard to prepare for them. They filled their plates with heaping mounds of mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, stuffing, green bean casserole, candied carrots. They layered the turkey on thick, smothering everything in gravy. Everything looked and smelled amazing.

Klaus was drained after the entire day; worn out from cooking for many hours that morning, and exhausted after that little emotional breakdown. Dave knew he didn't have much energy left, so he gladly assembled a plate for his love. He knew Klaus wouldn't be able to eat much, but he gave him a piece of turkey and a small amount of potatoes and green bean casserole before setting the plate on the placemat before him. Klaus smiled as he eyed the plate tiredly, glancing at his fiancé and squeezing his hand.

"Thank you, baby." Dave simply squeezed his hand back, kissing his cheek as they all finally ate and enjoyed their meals. Delightful sounds of pleasure filled the air as everyone ate; the food tasted even better than it looked. It was undoubtedly the best meal any of them had ever eaten. Their first thanksgiving as a family and it couldn't have been any more perfect if they tried.

"I'm thankful you know how to cook, Klaus. God damn this is good!" Diego cheered taking another bite of the mouth watering, tender turkey and delicious homemade gravy. Klaus just chuckled softly as he gingerly picked at the mashed potatoes on his plate. He didn't have much of an appetite, he was unable to finish all of the food on his plate. He did eat a few bites of everything, though, which Dave was thankful for. Klaus laid his fork down when he was simply too stuffed to eat anymore and leaned back in his chair, draping his hands over his uncomfortably full belly and he smiled.

"Happy Thanksgiving, guys." He said happily.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Klaus."

**Authors Note**: _I didn't proof read, and I somehow managed to completely forget Ben! I am a terrible person, but alas, I hope you still enjoyed! If you did, please let me know in the comments! Only 4 chapters left of this! It will be bittersweet to see this one go! I'll miss it. _


	17. Chapter 17

No one could believe how fast the seasons changed, and the holidays quickly swapped from one to another. It felt like just yesterday it was Thanksgiving, and the family was sitting down together enjoying the lovely meal Klaus had prepared; then suddenly it was already Christmas Eve, and snow was falling, blanketing the world in a crisp layer of white.

Klaus's health depleted again after Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, that uncomfortable sensation of fluttering moths in his chest soon morphed to feeling like a frenzied flock of birds were berating themselves within his heart, trying to burst free from their cage within his chest. It wasn't until early December that a health scare related to his chest pain caused them to bring Klaus to the hospital to have it addressed.

As it turned out, the painful flutter in his chest was caused by a new cancerous lesion that formed on his heart. This news was devastating, to say the least. Dr. Thomas informed the family that this lesion was a huge blow to his health, and significantly could lessen his timeline. With his heart health now compromised, Klaus could have merely a few weeks left to live. It shattered everyone's hearts to hear this news. They couldn't bear the idea of ever losing Klaus; and now it was terrifying to realize just how soon they may need to say their final goodbyes.

Currently, Klaus was resting against Dave's chest in their bed. He was wrapped beneath several layers of blankets, and yet still his body was plagued by deep seeded chills. His teeth were chattering harshly within his skull, tendons bulging from his jaw whenever he tried to clench it shut - needless to say, his features clearly displayed his discomfort. Klaus was so incredibly weak anymore; he could barely breathe without the assistance of his oxygen tank, and he'd developed a low grade fever days ago that he just couldn't quite kick. Klaus had been steadily losing his strength for quite some time since the start of his illness, but it seemed as though all of a sudden he was so much more frail, and sickly; each day frightened Dave and the rest of their family that it might just be Klaus's last.

"Baby, we should bring you downstairs for a bit, warm you up by the fire." Dave was cradling Klaus's severely trembling form, he couldn't believe how badly he was shaking.

"N-no - I can't, baby. I'm too tired. P-please, just let me rest." He whispered tiredly through his chattering teeth. Dave intertwined his fingers within Klaus's, the shock from the chill on his skin against his own nearly startled him.

"Your hands are like ice, darlin." Dave rubbed his palms over Klaus's hands, in hopes that the friction would warm the icicles that were his extremities. Klaus groaned when the painful flutter in his chest flared again. He clenched his eyes closed and nuzzled impossibly closer against his love's side.

Dave's face fell at how miserable and uncomfortable his darling was, he wrapped the five blankets on the bed as tightly as he could around his shuddering figure while wrapping his strong arms around him, tightening their embrace. He rubbed his palms up and down his arms to try to warm him, but Klaus just continued to shiver. It was cold outside, what with it being December, but the interior of the academy was rather warm, Dave worried it wasn't the cold at all making Klaus so sickly, but rather his fever.

"I know you're tired, darlin, but you need to warm up." Dave raised himself out of the bed, earning a pitiful groan of protest from Klaus when he pulled his listless body into his arms. Klaus was wrapped up snugly in the blankets, cradled against Dave's chest as they descended the staircase into the living room. He had his eyes closed, and his forehead pressed against the nook of his fiancé's neck when they made it down into the somehow much warmer area downstairs.

It wasn't just the heat of the fireplace making this space warmer, though. Dave and Klaus's siblings planned a special surprise for Klaus today. They'd worked diligently all morning to set this up for Klaus while he attempted to rest upstairs. Dave had been wanting to do this for quite some time, but Klaus was just so weak. After the news of his cancer spreading to his heart, however, and the continued declining of his health, Dave knew he couldn't wait a moment longer.

"Baby, open your eyes." A pitiful moan escaped Klaus's lips before his eyes fluttered and opened into slits. His eyebrows furrowed as he blinked his eyes a few times to focus his blurred vision, before his eyes finally widened in awe and amazement.

"Baby..." Klaus's lips quivered as a tear slid down his hollowed cheek.

The entire living room - floor to ceiling - was encapsulated in the warm glow of Christmas lights. The tall cathedral ceilings had ethereal curtains of lights draped across, creating a beautifully warm glowing canopy. The furniture had been rearranged to clear space for the beautiful ceremony to take place, and in the center of the room stood an archway that was also bathed in the beautifully lit ambient lighting. There stood a Christmas tree behind the altar; tall and proudly wrapped in ribbon and shimmering ornaments. Poinsettias pathed the path leading from the staircase to the altar. The scene looked like something out of a movie; or a fairytale—it was beautiful.

Klaus peered around the room to each of his siblings, Ben included, as well as his mother, all with a brilliant smile upon their beautiful features. Dave closed the gap between the altar and themselves, hugging Klaus closer to himself and nuzzling their foreheads together.

"You did all of this - for me?" Klaus asked breathily, a subtle smile tugging the corners of his wobbly lips. Dave smiled and nodded before burying his lips against Klaus's curls.

"We all did, baby. This—this is for you. I hope you're ready to say 'I do'." Tears freely fell from Klaus's beautiful green eyes as a strained heartfelt giggle burst from his chest. "Are you ready to become my husband, darlin?" Klaus's shoulders quaked with each breathy sob.

Klaus never thought he'd see this day, never dreamed he would ever make it to their wedding. He thought for sure he would pass long before they ever got the chance to walk down the aisle together. He was so unbelievably grateful, so _happy_ for the wonderful people in his life making this beautiful moment a possibility for him.

"I've never been more ready for anything in my entire life." Dave smiled against his love's lips, leaving a gentle kiss there, before slowly easing Klaus onto his feet. He was very weak, his legs unsteady; but Dave's gentle supportive arms never faltered, never left his weary frame, and Dave never left his side. Slowly but steadily they made their way to the altar, hands clasped tightly together, and faces bright with love for one another, and cheer.

Allison, with Luther's assistance worked secretly to become an ordained minister specifically for this occasion. She stood before the two lovers and led them through their journey to finally becoming one.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate with our beautiful brother Klaus, and his perfect match in this world David as they proclaim their never ending love and commitment to one another. We are gathered to rejoice, with and for them, in the new life they now embark upon together." She smiled lovingly to the couple, each with fresh tears in their proud eyes.

"Klaus and Dave, the relationship you enter into today must be grounded in the strength of your love, and the power of your faith in each other. To make your relationship succeed, it will take unending love. It will take trust, to know in your hearts that you truly want what is best for one another, and to learn and grow together. It will take faith, to go forward together without knowing what the future holds. If you both come freely, and understand the responsibility and work involved to make your relationship thrive, and are committed to each other, please take each other by the hands and reply 'we do.'"

The two men grasped firmly onto each other's hands as their gazes met.

"We do." They spoke together, as one. Allison smiled proudly before continuing.

"Klaus, repeat after me: David, you are my best friend and everlasting companion. You have brought me the truest happiness I have ever known. I take joy today in committing my life to yours."

Klaus repeated the vows; his voice was shaky, but he had never spoken more proudly. He couldn't believe he was finally able to say these words to the love of his life.

He couldn't believe he was able to get this chance...

"Now place the ring on his hand and repeat after me... with this ring, I promise to stand with you as we share this life, and the next, and cherish the memories we make together."

Klaus repeated the words as Diego handed him the ring. He let out a breathy laugh once he slipped the wedding band onto Dave's finger. He rubbed his thumb fondly over the cool metal band, cherishing the moment between them as tears fell from his eyes.

Dave repeated the same vows as Klaus had, only Klaus had dropped too much weight and the ring no longer fit his frail finger, so he slipped it over his neck alongside his dog tags; which he'd looped the ring onto its chain. Klaus wrapped his delicate fingers around the chain, squeezing the ring tightly in his grip as he closed his eyes and basked in the memory of the feeling of what it once felt like when it adorned his finger.

Dave gently cupped his love's cheek, smoothing away his tears with his thumb as Klaus opened his eyes and looked at Dave with a brilliant smile, draping his hand over his love's. He couldn't piece together the words to describe his feelings in this moment. He was just so incredibly happy, so _in love_ with this man before him. And so _grateful_ for this opportunity.

"Klaus and Dave, today you have stood before your family and declared your intent to commit your eternal lives to each other in marriage. Your road to this moment has not always been smooth, but you have continued to fight for one another. I hope you will never forget the fight and perseverance it has taken to get to this moment. And I hope you will never forget the love and joy you feel today, because these are the values that will keep your marriage and your eternal bond to one another strong." Klaus's strength was quickly dissipating, his knees became wobbly so Dave wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him close. Klaus wrapped his arms around Dave's neck, nuzzling his cheek against his chest, feeling his heartbeat against his flushed skin.

"And so, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you two bonded together for all of eternity. You may now kiss the love of your life." Klaus smiled into Dave's kiss, their first kiss as a married couple.

_They'd done it._

He never thought this would happen, and yet here they were. Married, _bonded for __eternity_ \- just as their vows had proclaimed.

Their family cheered, throwing amaryllis petals to the air in celebration of their union as one. Dave buried his lips against Klaus's temple as he held Klaus tightly against himself, gently rocking him side to side as they shared their first dance as a married couple. Both men smiled, exchanging laughter and love as they savored this beautifully magical moment _together_.

"I love you, Dave." Klaus whispered against his chest. He meant it, with each syllable, each letter, and with each breath that he took. He truly loved this man. Dave cupped his cheek in his palm and pressed his lips against Klaus's.

"I love you, Klaus. My darling husband, I love you so much." Klaus laughed breathily at Dave's words and his smile widened, spreading across his weary features as more tears slipped down his sunken cheeks.

He was so incredibly _happy_, so proud and yet he couldn't help but feel torn at this moment...

He finally had everything he'd ever dreamed of; someone to have, and to hold, and to love and be loved so unwaveringly by. He was just so happy, and yet so _heartbroken_.

He didn't want to lose this, never wanted to have to leave or to say goodbye. He wasn't ready, he never truly would be. He didn't want to go, didn't want to _die_. Dave sensed his emotions and pulled him close, whispering soothing words of love and encouragement into his ear while he pressed his lips to his skin. They stayed there, slowly swaying and absorbing this moment for quite some time until Luther approached the married couple, laying his steady hands on each of their backs.

"Sorry to interrupt, but there's another surprise waiting for you, Klaus." Klaus straightened as Dave smiled at him. With Luther leading the way, Dave helped Klaus make his way towards the front door. Before they exited, he wrapped him in a thick winter coat before once again layering blankets over his weakened frame.

"Where are we going?" Klaus asked tiredly. Dave simply smiled. He took his hands into his own as he kissed his forehead.

"You'll see."

Diego and Five flanked the front doors pulling them open to allow the newly married couple to step outside into the cold winter night. Klaus's eyes widened in amazement at what was waiting for them in the street.

A carriage drawn by two beautiful white horses stood parked. The carriage was stunning; white and gold with Christmas lights and garland hung around, it was a covered carriage so that the two men would be shielded from the harsh weather. The two horses were adorned in jingle bells, and wreaths, and reindeer antlers upon their heads. Klaus giggled softly as Dave escorted him towards the beautiful animals.

"They're gorgeous baby, can I pet them?" Klaus asked softly as his giant green eyes met his husband's eagerly. Dave smiled, kissing his husband's exuberant face.

"I think they'd be offended if you didn't."

Klaus cautiously raised his shaky hand to one of the horses faces, gently running his slender fingertips over the animals fuzzy cheek. He slowly moved his hand from its cheek to its nose, delicately massaging the soft baby hairs over its flared nostrils. The horse softly nuzzled it's muzzle deeper into Klaus's touch, earning a breathy giggle from the sickly man.

"That's Comet, he likes you!" Said the coachman of the carriage. He bundled his coat closer to himself as he dug through his pockets before tossing something to Dave. Dave caught the object within his extended hand; it was a candy cane.

"Those are his favorite, just be careful, he's been known to be greedy and try to eat it before the wrappers have been removed!" The coachman laughed. Dave smiled as he unwrapped the candy cane before handing the red and white swirled candy to his husband. Klaus wrapped his fingers around the sugary treat and held it up to Comet's mouth. His hand shook with fatigue, but Dave cupped his palms around Klaus's hands to steady them. Klaus's lips tugged into a smile of appreciation. Comet wrapped his lips around the candy, slurping it into his mouth with a gentle touch. His whiskers tickled Klaus's palms causing him to exhale a laugh through his nose.

"He's so gentle, babe. Is this what BJ was like?" Dave couldn't hide his smile at Klaus's inquiry, he couldn't believe he remembered the story of his horse.

"Sure was, baby. He was just like this." Dave patted his hand against the animal's thick neck, admiring the dapples on the animal's coat.

"Is he a Percheron?" Dave asked the coachman, who nodded in response.

"Sure is. Comet here is full Percheron, while his lady friend there Vixen is a Percheron cross." Dave smiled when the man tossed him another candy cane. He unwrapped it and once again helped Klaus feed it to the horse; this time to Vixen, who also was gentle as can be. They stood there admiring the animals before Klaus's body began to tremble once again.

"Let's get you onto the carriage now, darlin. It's freezing out here, and there's no time to waste, I have a special night planned for you." Klaus could only nod tiredly as Dave led him to the side of the carriage. The coachman opened the door, and Dave hoisted Klaus into his arms before climbing into the carriage, situating themselves both beside one another on the tufted upholstered bench seat. It was warm inside, a small space heater placed within the quaint cabin to circulate warmth throughout. The seats were comfortable; thick red velvet cushions that Klaus immediately sunk into with a content sigh. Dave wrapped his arm around his husband, pulling him closer to allow him to snuggle against his side. Klaus hummed happily, a delicate smile tugging at his gaunt features as he wrapped his trembling arms around Dave's body, resting his tired head against his shoulder. The coachman smiled as he handed Dave a thick plush fleece blanket, which Dave gratefully accepted, before draping it over Klaus's frigid frame. The coachman ensured both men were comfortable before closing the door, and returning to his seat to commandeer the carriage, taking the two men on their special adventure.

Klaus was so comfortable; the warmth from Dave's body, paired with the fuzzy blanket wrapped around him, and the beautiful ambience surrounding the two men left him with a warm fuzzy feeling inside. The melodic sounds of the shod hooves of the horses dancing upon the pavement, mixed with the jingling of their bells was a soothing tone, practically lulling him to sleep.

"This is so nice, babe. Thank you." He whispered against Dave's chest, his eyes beginning to droop as his exhaustion took over. Dave smiled, kissing his temple as he rubbed soothing circles into his fading husband's back.

"You haven't seen anything yet, darlin. Look, open your eyes—" Klaus's eyes fluttered before opening wide.

They were going through a park that was completely decked out in a show of Christmas lights—brilliant light displays adorned every tree, and every pole. There were glowing reindeer, and polar bears, and stars. Giant glowing Christmas trees, and snowflakes. It was a literal winter wonderland, a spectacular sight to see. Dave's smile widened as he watched Klaus's face light up with childlike wonder. He looked so young, so carefree, so beautiful. It warmed his heart to see his love so happy.

They rode through the park from start to finish, even circling around again to see them once more, but it was starting to get late, so they decided it was best to begin their journey back home to the academy. Klaus was smiling ear to ear the entire time, admiring the lights and the incredibly thoughtful act, but his energy had depleted quite some time ago, and he could barely keep his eyes open any longer.

When they arrived home Klaus's strength was all but gone, he was far too weak to stand. Dave scooped him into his arms, thanking the coachman as he carried Klaus to the front of the carriage to pet the horses goodbye, before bringing his love inside for the night. When he closed the academy doors behind them, the beautiful sound of Christmas carols took both men by surprise. They looked into each other's eyes and exchanged a tired smile and a nod before entering the living room once more.

Vanya was playing her violin, while Luther joined her, playing the grand piano, the beautiful sound of their music filled the air within the academy.

"Oh, good you're back. How was it?" Allison asked with a brilliant smile. She tucked a curl behind Klaus's ear as he weakly returned her smile.

"It was amazing, beautiful," Klaus stated tiredly, "thank you all for today. Everything was perfect, I couldn't have dreamt of a better way to spend my Christmas or my wedding." He clenched his eyes closed as a tear slid down his cheek, his body trembling against his husband's chest.

"Of course, Klaus. We love you so much, we wanted this day to be something spectacular, you deserved it." A somber laugh escaped his lips as he nodded, burying his chilled face against Dave's neck. Dave tightened his grip on Klaus before making his way towards the couch in the massive living room. It was situated close to the fireplace. He laid himself down on the sofa, adjusting themselves so they were cuddled up against each other in front of the fire to warm Klaus's trembling frame. Five strode over to the couch and draped the two men with a thick quilt as Klaus nuzzled his face closer to Dave's chest, his eyes - heavy with fatigue - finally slipping shut.

"Why don't you get some rest, darlin. It's been a big day." Dave kissed his forehead while he ran his palm up and down Klaus's back. Klaus hummed in response. He was so tired, so incredibly drained from the days events, but he wouldn't change it for the world. This was the most beautiful day of Klaus's entire life. He'd finally been able to take Dave's hand in marriage while being surrounded and supported by everyone he loves most in this world.

It was truly his most perfect moment, and most precious memory. He would be forever grateful for this day.

The old grandfather clock in the main hall rounded to the next hour, the whimsical chime sounding throughout the academy as it reverberated down the many halls.

"It's midnight," Dave whispered, his smile growing as he cupped Klaus's nearly slumbering cheek, earning the sleepy man to open his weary eyes. "Merry Christmas, darlin." He whispered. Klaus's lips tugged into a subtle smile, the lines around his eyes tugging into a smile as well. He was so genuinely happy, and Dave's heart soared at the sight.

"Merry Christmas, Dave. I love you, so - so much." Klaus's eyes closed, a single tear slipping down his sharp cheekbone as he pressed himself impossibly closer into his husbands embrace. Dave held him tightly, peppering his hairline in delicate kisses as the song the siblings were playing shifted to the next track, and Allison started to sing.

_"Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Let your heart be light. From now on, our troubles will be out of sight."_

Klaus's hand weakly fumbled with the chain around his neck. He slipped his wedding band around his slender ring finger - where it _belonged_ before he clenched Dave's shirt within his shaky hands.

_"Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Make the Yule-tide gay, From now on, our troubles will be miles away."_

He smiled up at Dave; his _husband_, his tired emerald eyes sparkling with tears illuminated by the fire light.

Tears of _joy_...

Tears of _despair_...

_"Here we are as in olden days, happy golden days of yore. Faithful friends who are dear to us, gather near to us once more."_

Dave pressed his lips to Klaus's forehead, then his nose, and his pout. Klaus's eyes closed as his exhaustion took over, he laid his weary head against Dave, tucking himself beneath his chin as Dave held him closer, his own tears streaking his face.

_"Through the years we all will be together, If the Fates allow. Hang a shining star upon the highest bough."_

The sound of the music drifted through Dave's ears, melancholic, and yet beautiful as he clutched his husband to his chest. Today was perfect in every sense of the word, almost as perfect as Klaus himself. The only thing he'd ever change would be the reasoning behind the rushed ceremony, the hidden secrets, and hiding such a beautiful moment from his love...

He wished the circumstances behind today had been different. He wished Klaus's health wasn't failing, and he wished the love of his life wasn't _fading_. Dave saw how with each passing day his love's soul was weakening, the light and life in his eyes dimming.

Dave closed his eyes, pressing his tear stained cheek against Klaus's as he held him close. He never wanted to let him go, never wanted to have to say goodbye. Never wanted to _lose_ this beautiful, perfect, precious, unbelievably kind soul. He would never be ready to lose Klaus.

He would never be ready to say goodbye...

_"And have yourself a merry little Christmas now."_


	18. Chapter 18

When Klaus awoke he noticed he wasn't in his bedroom, but rather still bundled within the ever encompassing warmth of his husband's arms; they were laying on the sofa in front of the fireplace within their living room. Klaus curled himself closer against Dave, pressing his cheek against his husband's broad chest, just enjoying the sound of his heartbeat resonating within his ear.

_His husband..._

Klaus still couldn't believe that his dream had finally become his reality. He was floored that he and Dave were actually married. That he; Klaus Hargreeves, the degenerate of the Hargreeves name had found someone to love and be loved by. Not with an ugly objective, not with cruel intentions, but with honest, pure and always kind love. If he was being honest with himself, Klaus still wasn't certain that he deserved Dave's love.

He'd always been this beacon of hope, like a lighthouses beam of light cutting through the darkness in his heart and illuminating his world. Dave made him feel not so worthless, and like he was actually worthy of something. Dave always was certain to make sure Klaus never felt unwanted, or unloved, or unnecessary; but rather that he was so much more than enough.

Even now; Dave never allowed Klaus to feel like he was less than anyone, mediocre, or unwanted. Nor would he ever let him feel weak, or insignificant.

Klaus was sick - no, scratch that, he was _dying_, and Dave could have used that as an excuse to leave, find someone new to pour his love and affection into instead of wasting it on the already undeserving man before him, now less than deserving as his love was heading towards a dead end road with no outlet.

Klaus wouldn't have blamed him, Dave deserved so much better than him, he always had. And yet there he was, still sticking by his side, always unwavering, and always making Klaus feel so desirable; so incredibly _loved_.

So much so that the cavern in Klaus's chest ached from the feeling of it all. Years of torment, abuse, screwing around just for a bed to sleep in, some form of a meal in his belly, or drugs in his veins had led Klaus to believe he would never get the chance to experience the true meaning of love.

But Dave opened his eyes—introduced Klaus to a world he could have never imagined was possible, or even slightly attainable. Certainly not with his track record. When he told Dave about his rather colorful past, he knew in his battered heart that the emotions he'd been feeling towards this beautiful man wouldn't matter; that this façade of love would wither, and the walls he'd built up around his heart would crumble away as he learned the truth. Klaus was disgusting, always had been, he deserved for Dave to turn his cheek and leave, or hell, he deserved him to lash out and hit him like any other man ever had.

So it of course was an earth shattering moment when Dave did none of those things, but instead seemed to somehow gravitate closer to Klaus, wanted to understand him better, and he'd be damned, but he actually wanted to help, wanted to be there in ways no other man (or any other person in general) ever had.

Dave was a miracle in his own right, the man deserved an award for the amount of patience and perseverance he'd shown. Especially now.

Klaus groaned as a sharp pain in his belly made itself undeniably present. His body shook, a chill running down his spine as the pain became overwhelming. His shaky hand snaked over his belly, clutching into the fabric of his sweater as the pain tore through him once more, causing tears to pool to his eyes. He only wished that the pain would stop. Fuck, it just hurt so badly.

A soul crushing pained cry left Klaus's throat, guttural and heart breaking, he couldn't hold back what he was feeling. He wrenched his eyes closed, deepening his touch against Dave's warm, slumbering frame. He didn't want to disturb his rest, he looked so content and comfortable.

Klaus's breaths grew heavier, labored with the pain in his abdomen. He knew it was just his ascitis flaring again, he knew it had returned, and was of course deciding now to show it's hideous nature. The familiar uncomfortable feeling in his chest fluttered at that moment, simply furthering his pain and discomfort along with it. The world around him seemed to become more dim, the glow of the fireplace fading from his view. He was beginning to feel faint...

Maybe he should just close his eyes and go back to sleep...

"Baby? Are you alright?" Dave's hands found their way to his face, cupping it and tilting it towards his field of vision to take in his appearance. A stuttered breath left his lips as another white hot flare of pain emanated within his chest.

"Klaus?" His words sounded distant, like he was miles away and not in fact wrapped around him in that moment. Stars danced in his vision, bright and blinding in the dimly lit room.

"Baby?" He felt his limbs slacken, like a marionette doll who's strings had been snipped as his eyes fluttered, threatening to close. He barely registered the next fleeting moments, all he knew was that he was being lifted and carried elsewhere within the academy. The echoing, rushing sound of footsteps falling against the stairwell in a hurried pace; hard soled shoes against dated, rickety wooden floors.

Next he knew he was waking up again in his bedroom, a cold compress on his head, and Dave looming over him with a concerned expression. Klaus's eyes fluttered before snapping shut, as the pain tore through him once again. He felt hands on his body, against his cheek, adjusting the cloth on his head. Everything just seemed so foggy.

"You're burning up, baby." His words were so soft, Klaus couldn't tell if it was just the nature of Dave's tone, or if his hearing was playing tricks on him. He just felt so weak, "Maybe we pushed you too far yesterday. I'm so sorry, darlin. That was so careless of me, I should've taken your wellbeing into consideration. I'm so sorry." Klaus could hear the despair in his tone. As weary as he may have been in that moment, he couldn't allow Dave to feel that way.

"M'fine, baby, no. Don't say that." His words come out mumbled, undefined and weak. Why did he feel like this?

He grasped for Dave's arm, unsteady hands finding his wrist and clutched onto it as strong as he could. He felt lightheaded—dizzy, like he was a dreidel after it'd spun itself into oblivion. His breaths came out raspy and weak; just like him.

"Are you feeling okay, baby?" Klaus groaned pitifully as the painful flutter within his heart accompanied by his abdominal pain surged through him once more. He felt Dave's hands cupping his face, his neck, pressing delicately against his chest. "Jesus Christ, baby, you're so hot."

"Th'nk you." Klaus felt himself mutter jokingly, trying yet failing to soften the mood, but he wasn't even sure if the words came out at all. He felt so fuzzy, was he even awake?

"Diego! Luther!" Klaus heard the faint calling of his siblings' names before his eyes fluttered, and everything faded to black.

—-

The steady beeping of a heart monitor, the familiar comforting sensation of fingers running through his hair and a forehead pressed against his own was what finally tore Klaus from his slumber. He opened his eyes, vision blurred with fatigue and groaned as he tried to gather his bearings.

"Baby, you're awake. Oh, thank god." Dave's voice was shaky, had he been crying?

"Dave," Klaus's voice was weak, scratchy and his throat felt so dry. He blinked his eyes and peered around the room attempting to take in his surroundings.

Klaus realized he was in the infirmary. An IV in his arm, oxygen cannula within his nostrils, and hooked to a heart monitor with an oximeter on his finger. Everything felt so foreign to him, like he was having an out of body experience.

"How long was I out? What happened?" Klaus finally rasped as his thoughts began to clear. Dave straightened, his fingers pausing mid stroke within his curls as he hastily wiped at his eyes with his free hand. He sniffled, taking in a deep breath before finally addressing the question.

"You, uh, you were running a really high fever, darlin. You were really out of it. You passed out and then—" He paused, his lips began to tremble as a fresh onslaught of tears began to fall from his eyes. "You've been sleeping for a while, Klaus."

"A while? How long of a while?" His eyes fluttered, his vision threatening to blur again.

"Two days, baby. You've been asleep for two days. Your fever was so high, Grace said your body needed the rest - but it was so scary, baby. I was so scared. This is all my fault, I shouldn't have pushed you so hard, I overloaded you and I hurt you—"

"Baby, no. Please - please don't say that. Never apologize for that." He paused to gasp for breath, swallowing back the arid feeling in his throat. Dave handed him a water bottle, assisting him in sitting up and pressed it to his lips so he could drink. Klaus smiled at him and nodded in appreciation.

"That was the most beautiful day of my life, baby. Please, don't feel sorry for that. I'm just so happy I got the opportunity to experience it. It was perfect in every sense of the word." Dave went to protest but Klaus just wrapped his hand around his, gripping it as tight as his weak fingers could muster, "I mean it, baby. I'm just so thankful. Thank you, really. Thank you for making me the luckiest man on this planet. Thank you for loving me; for marrying me. For being there for me, and with me through everything. I love you so much." Klaus closed his eyes as a torrent of pain tore through his abdomen, and a hiss escaped his lips.

"Are you okay?" Dave asked as the muscles of his body went tense. He leaned forward to brush his hand over Klaus's flushed cheek. Another wave of pain, stronger, made itself known. Klaus gasped, his hands darting to his swollen belly, clutching the sheet draped over him as another pained cry burst from within his chest. He clenched his eyes shut, willing the pain to leave. God, why wouldn't it go away.

"Breathe, baby." Dave instructed, Klaus hadn't even noticed he'd been holding his breath. He gasped, the sound unsteady and pained as a cry rippled through his teeth. His stomach hurt so badly, the pain was so strong, he didn't remember it being this bad the last time.

Dave glanced down to Klaus's swollen abdomen. His eyebrows furrowed with concern as he gently inched his hand towards it. His palm paused in the air, hovering above his stomach, almost too afraid to touch as he remembered how badly it hurt when he tried to do-so last time, but another pained cry from his husband was all he needed to hear to know he had to try anything to attempt to soothe his pain.

Dave laid his palm flat against Klaus's belly, as delicately as he could, earning a pained cry from his love. Klaus's head shook side to side as he gasped again.

"No. No, please - please it hurts." Klaus cried, his face red and blotchy from his pain and failure to remember to breathe. Dave hesitated, considering if he should remove his hand, but ultimately he decided against it. Instead, he softly stroked his stomach, rubbing it like his mother used to rub his belly when he had a tummy ache when he was a small boy. He remembered how it always soothed him, he only hoped it would soothe his love now. Klaus gasped at first, his hands finding Dave's as he weakly tried to stop him, to alleviate the pressure from his uncomfortably swollen abdomen, but he was just too weak.

After the initial pain of it wore off, Klaus's tense muscles began to relax against Dave's touch. He was trying so hard to make him feel better, and it was amazingly, and thankfully starting to work. Klaus took in a sharp inhale of air, as he further relaxed onto the cot, his breaths coming in quick gasps while he let out the occasional pained cry.

Klaus exhaled a whimper, not from pain, but from despair as he tilted his gaze towards Dave's. Tears were tumbling down his cheeks, his lips quivering as he gazed into his husband's eyes. Dave's own eyes were filled with tears, but his lips were quirked into a reassuring smile.

"It's okay, baby. You're okay." Klaus closed his eyes as another cry broke past his teeth.

_He wasn't okay..._

_Nothing was okay..._

_He would never be okay..._

Dave pulled Klaus closer as his shoulders began to quake with sobs and he just pressed him tightly against his chest. Klaus's sobs strengthened, turning into heart wrenching cries. Dave's tears began to tumble steadily down his own face. He hated this; he hated how much pain his love was in, he hated how sad he was, how distraught, how _scared_.

Dave climbed onto the cot beside his husband, cradling his quaking frame against his own and he just held him there. He pressed his lips against Klaus's hairline, peppering a trail of delicate kisses in his wake as he tried everything he could to console him.

Both men were terrified. Klaus was fading, his health deteriorating at such a steady pace neither man expected it to go by so quickly. They clung onto each other, each of their heartbreaking sobs filling the air within the infirmary as they held one another, savoring the others touch for as long as they could. Neither man ever wanted to let go, never wanted to need to ever say goodbye. Eventually they both succumbed to exhaustion, falling asleep within each other's loving arms.

—-

Klaus woke up when the pain in his belly returned. He tried to ignore it, tried to close his eyes and curl back up beside Dave and sleep this awful feeling away, but he just couldn't. He needed to get up, needed to stretch, needed to walk it off. He needed some air.

Careful as to not disturb his slumbering husband, Klaus shimmied himself out of Dave's embrace and sat up. He stifled a groan when the change in position shot an agonizing pain through his belly. He sat on the edge of the thin mattress, clutching his stomach as he took a few deep breaths to try to will the pain away. He looked down to his arms, admiring the IV and all of the wires hooked to his body and wasted no time in ripping them all off. Klaus winced at the needle tugging out of his vein, a small dribble of blood trickled over his arm and past his elbow, but he ignored it as he stood on unsteady legs to turn off the machine. Klaus stood there, clinging onto the screen for a moment to steady himself, taking a few more deep breaths before he removed the oxygen cannula from his nostrils.

He silently made his way towards the door, his bare feet softly patting against the cold marbled floors. He wrapped his arms around himself as he slowly made his way towards the back exit.

"Klaus, where are you going?" Ben asked his brother, following his every step down the corridor.

"I-I just need to clear my head." Klaus opened the doors that lead to the courtyard and stepped outside.

"Klaus, I don't think this is a good idea."

Klaus pressed forward, ignoring Ben as he walked straight through him. Dead grass crunched beneath the soles of his bare feet as he made his way to the tall oak tree, pressing his back against it, heaving for air.

He hadn't realized this would be such a trek. The snow had apparently melted within the two days he was asleep, but it was still rather brisk outside. He cursed himself for forgetting to put on shoes or a coat. A chill ran down his spine, his arms sprouting goosebumps as he wrapped them around his trembling frame.

"Klaus it's freezing, go back inside."

A sharp pain tore through him, causing him to hiss out in pain. Klaus's hands darted to his belly, his fists clenching in his shirt. The pain was so strong, he needed to sit down, he needed to focus on his breathing. Klaus slid himself down the trunk of the tree until he was seated against the cool damp ground. Another pain tore through him, causing Klaus to clench his eyes shut as he gasped, pressing the back of his head against the bark.

"Are you going to be able to get back up?" Ben asked his ailing brother, concern etched across his worried features. Klaus groaned, a single eyelid opening into a slit to peer toward his brother.

"Haven't really thought that far ahead yet, Benny." He groaned, once again closing his eyes as another pain flared. God he was in so much pain. Ben looked at his ailing brother sadly, watching him struggling to take each breathe. He hated this, Klaus shouldn't be out here. Not like this.

"Klaus, you're too weak to be out here, you need to listen to your body." Klaus exhaled a hollow laugh before another pain grabbed his attention. He gasped again as he looked to Ben with tears in his eyes.

"I've never listened to anyone my whole life, Benny. Why start now, especially to myself." He tried to relax, tried to calm his unsteady breaths as his eyes softened, meeting his brother's attentive gaze, "What's it like, Benny..."

Klaus's voice was broken, soft, and just barely above a whisper.

"What's what like?" Ben's face was stoic, eyes furrowed in concern. What was his brother talking about? Klaus's eyes opened into slits as he addressed his brother with tear filled sorrowful eyes.

"Being dead."

Ben's expression immediately softened, he swore that if he had a heart it would have stopped beating at his brother's question. He tilted his head, closing the gap between himself and Klaus as he slid down the tree beside him and looked him deep in his eyes.

"Klaus - no, don't - don't talk like that—"

"Like what, Ben? I'm just preparing myself for what's to come." Ben opened his mouth to speak but couldn't seem to find the words. What could he truly say?

"Klaus, no, please - just—" He cut himself off as Klaus shifted his gaze to his brother, a morose smile lifting the corners of his lips.

"Ben, it's okay...you don't have to put on a brave face. It's—" He closed his eyes as tears fell down his cheeks. "It's okay, Benny. I know what's going to happen is inevitable, it's just..." He paused to gasp for air, the painful flutter in his chest stealing his breath from his weakened lungs.

Ben leaned closer to him, his hand pressing through his brother's knee in a futile attempt to comfort him. Klaus whimpered as his eyes opened into slits and he admitted the terrifying truth.

"I'm not ready." Klaus finally whispered. He wasn't ready to leave, wasn't ready to die, wasn't ready to say goodbye. He never truly would be...

"Klaus—"

A severe pain tore through Klaus's abdomen causing the sickly man to cry out in pain. He clenched his belly in his hands, trying desperately to gasp for air, to push that terrible feeling down, but he just couldn't. It was so strong; too strong, it hurt so badly. Klaus couldn't sit up any longer, he needed to lay down, he needed to rest. Klaus slowly eased his exhausted frame down until he was laying flat on his back against the cold ground beneath him; the dead and chilled blades of grass tickling his flushed cheeks. He needed to try to forget the awful searing pain in his belly. Suddenly soft flurries of snow descended, fluttering and landing delicately atop Klaus's prone and weary frame.

"Get up, Klaus, go inside, please."

"I can't.." Klaus whimpered, curling his arms impossibly tighter against himself as a pained groan pressed through his lips. "I can't, I don't have the strength. I'm so tired Ben...so tired.."

Klaus's eyelashes fluttered, threatening to close, he was just so weak. Ben peered into the sky watching the small crystalline flakes of snow drift slowly down and land upon his brother's trembling frame.

"Klaus, I know you're tired, but you need to go inside. You'll freeze if you stay out here. Get up, Klaus. Please!"

"M's-sorry, Benny...I can't, I—" Klaus whimpered, rolling onto his side and clenching his fist against his swollen belly when a torrent of pain ripped through him. He gasped, his breath visibly filling the frigid air before him as he struggled for his next breath. Klaus couldn't take anymore of this. He was so tired, so uncomfortable, he was just in so much pain.

"Please, please get up. You can do it! What if—if I could just—maybe if we—"

"I can't Ben. I don't - I don't have the strength." Klaus's eyelashes fluttered, allowing his tears to free fall down his hollowed cheeks. Ben knelt beside his brother; he laid a hand over his shoulder wishing, pleading with whoever was out there to please, just give him the strength to help him.

"Come on, Klaus. Get up. I'm so sorry, I promise I never intend to hurt you, but I have to do something. I can't—" Ben paused, wiping at his own tears as he looked down to his brother. Klaus was so pale, especially now in comparison to the snow that was falling all around him. He looked to small, so fragile, so weak. "I can't let you just lay down and die out here."

Ben's eyebrows furrowed as he concentrated. How had he done this before; he'd been able to tap into Klaus's powers to touch him once, he had to be able to do it again. He knew it was hard for Klaus, hard on his body and could potentially cause him harm, but dammit he had to do something, anything at all. He couldn't just sit back and watch his brother freeze to death in the snow alone. Ben searched deep within himself for their connection and when he was fairly certain he'd found it—_he tugged_.

Klaus's hands barely sparked in a soft haze of blue light as Ben's hands finally made contact.

"I've got you," Ben pulled Klaus's nearly unconscious body into his arms and began to stand. "I've got you, I'm taking you inside, you're going to be okay—"

Ben barely made it to his feet before Klaus cried out as an immense discomfort overwhelmed him. It was unbearable, a hot pain tearing through his swollen abdomen and stealing the oxygen from his lungs.

"S-stop, please—" Klaus cried, his shaking intensifying as he pleaded. "Please, put me down. I can't—it hurts, I'm begging you, please—"

Suddenly the connection broke and Klaus's frame crumbled to the ground landing in a pitiful heap. He cried, his entire being in so much agony.

"I'm sorry," Ben began kneeling beside Klaus, his hand falling through his brother's flesh. "I only wanted to help. If I could have just gotten you inside—"

"It's okay, Benny," Klaus whispered through his labored breaths. "I know, and it's okay - I'm so sorry..." A stray tear tumbled down his pale cheeks. Klaus's eyelids felt so heavy, they slowly began to drift closed as his meager amount of energy faded away.

"Klaus? No. No, wake up, Klaus. Open your eyes," Ben watched in horror as Klaus's eyes fell closed, his head lulling slack against the snow coated ground, "please! Wake up, Klaus! I'm begging you, please!"

Ben lost track of time as he watched over Klaus in horror. The sun slowly began to peak through the dreary clouds above them; its delicate early morning rays barely illuminating the now faintly pink tinted sky. The snow blanketed Klaus's unconscious frame in a thin layer of white. Ben couldn't control his tears; seeing his brother like this just wasn't right. He should've done more, he should have gotten him inside while he had the connection. He shouldn't have allowed this to happen.

Thankfully not too much time had passed when the sound of the academy's door opening alerted Ben. He glanced behind himself towards the sound and he swore his heart fluttered in his chest.

"Five?"

Five exited the academy and peered around the courtyard, his eyes finally landing on the heap of Klaus's unconscious form beneath his favorite tree. Suddenly a blue flash deposited the boy before his brother. Five knelt down, concern heavily etched across his features as he took Klaus's face within his hands.

"Klaus," Klaus's weary eyes barely peeled open at the sound of his brother's voice, "you're freezing, what the hell are you doing out here?"

Klaus's body was riddled by severe chills, every inch of him trembling hard. He struggled to breathe, the air seemingly frozen within his damaged lungs.

"F-Five?" He croaked between his chattering teeth.

"Are you trying to give yourself hypothermia?" Five wiped snowflakes off of his brother's cheeks, using his thumbs to remove the frozen clumps of ice from Klaus's long eyelashes. Klaus groaned, his unsteady hands clutching at his belly.

"I just—wanted some fresh air—" Klaus clenched his teeth at his pain. Five pulled Klaus's frigid body into his lap, cradling him against his chest. Taking in his brother's appearance, Fives features contorted into a saddened frown, he couldn't believe how pale Klaus was. His skin was nearly translucent, every vein and blood vessel visible through his pallid complexion. He looked so much like a ghost it frightened him. Five watched as Klaus continued to clutch at his belly, his obvious pain so clearly evident on his face. He needed to get him inside. He pulled Klaus closer, tucking his arm beneath his knees and rose to his feet, earning a pitiful groan from his ailing sibling. Five couldn't believe how frail Klaus had truly become. It was easy to carry him; his six foot tall brother who had always been so full of life, of wonder and such a brilliant light now fit so easily within his own tiny thirteen year old arms. It wasn't right, he shouldn't be this way. Five had to bite back his tears as the reality of just how sick Klaus truly had become made itself so painfully obvious.

"I'm taking you to the infirmary, Klaus. You need—"

"No!"

"What?" Fives eyes widened at his brother's strong denial of his actions. "Klaus, you're freezing. Mom should take a look at you—"

"No. Just-just take me to Dave, please. I just want Dave.." Klaus weakly begged through chattering teeth.

"Dave was in the infirmary, Klaus, remember?" Ben looked at his brother's weary expression with terrified eyes. "You were in the infirmary with Dave, Klaus—Klaus?" Klaus was so tired, so distraught and so incredibly weak his mind was in a fuzz. He couldn't think straight, couldn't remember where he was now let alone where Dave had been. He needed to get inside, he needed to warm his chilled bones.

"Please—please, just take me to Dave," Klaus cried out in pain, his fists clenched against his swollen belly as tears tumbled over his hollowed cheeks. "I just want Dave, please.. please.."

Five frowned, his eyebrows knitting together with a deep concern for his brother. Five could feel the chill of Klaus's flesh against his own, he desperately needed medical attention.

"Fine," He stated, earning his brother's weary gaze to trail to his steady eyes. "I'll bring you to Dave." Klaus's trembling lips curled into the subtlest of smiles.

"Thank you." He whispered, his body going slack against Five's narrow chest, instant relief flooding his soul knowing that soon, he would be wrapped in his husband's loving arms.

Five watched his brothers' tired eyes drift closed before they were enveloped in a blue light that quickly blinked them inside of the academy. Klaus could instantly feel the temperature difference; a warmth rushed against his freezing cold skin, he only hoped it would succeed in chasing his chills away. He felt the stiff fabric of the sheets beneath his body as he was settled down onto a bed; an uncomfortable cot. This wasn't his bedroom like he'd begged. Klaus's eyes peeled open, taking in his surroundings. It was the infirmary, no Dave in sight. Just Five, Ben, and the dreadful machines he detested the most in his life.

"Five - no, please. Please just take me to Dave."

"I'm sorry, I can't Klaus, you need medical attention."

"Five, please—" Klaus's words filled a dead static air as Five disappeared in a flash of blue.

Klaus groaned, another pain tearing through his abdomen. Why? Why wouldn't he just take him to Dave? Was that so much to ask? He was in pain, he was tired, and cold, he just wanted his husband. His chills intensified, his body shivering ferociously against the hard uncomfortable mat of the cot. His breathing became more labored, his lungs struggling to process the warmth of the new air surrounding him.

"This is for the best Klaus, look at you," Ben's face fell at his brother's frail appearance. He'd never seen Klaus look so sickly until this very moment. "You're not well."

"I've not been well for a long time, Ben." Klaus muttered through his chattering teeth. He groaned, a pitiful cry escaping his chapped lips as an immense pain tore through him. God, when would this pain end?

Klaus continued to shiver against the hard mat in the infirmary for an indeterminate amount of time, he was just so cold and his chills only seemed to intensify his immense pain. He groaned, his frozen fingers clinging to his swollen belly trying desperately to fight the pain away. He didn't know how much more of this he could take, he just wanted Dave. Why couldn't he just have his husband's comforting embrace?

The doors to the infirmary opened and in piled all of Klaus's family, including Dave.

"Klaus!" Dave darted to his side, instantly pulling his deathly pale and trembling frame into his warm steady arms. "Darlin, what were you thinking, you're freezing." Klaus's weary eyes fluttered open, a strained smile tugging at the corners of his gray lips. Dave cupped Klaus's cheek in his warm palm, his brows furrowing at the chill of his skin. Klaus wrapped his frozen fingers around Dave's wrist, his pulse vibrating against his numb fingertips.

"You know I don't think, babe." Dave exhaled a pitiful laugh as a tear rolled down his cheek. He hugged Klaus's form tighter against his broad chest while he buried his lips against his snow dampened curls, pulling the sheet over his uncontrollably shaking figure. Klaus groaned from his pain, curling himself tighter within the blankets while wrapping his arms around Dave, nuzzling his frozen nose into the exposed skin of his husband's warm neck.

"I love you so much baby, I was so worried," Dave began, running his palm up and down Klaus's back trying to use friction to warm his chilled body, "I woke up and you were gone. I looked everywhere for you, baby. When you weren't in our room I woke everyone to look for you. Thank god Five found you."

"You can't do that, Klaus," Luther stated sternly, he didn't want to be brash, but he needed to make himself clear, "We didn't know where you were, or how long you were missing."

"Klaus," Diego interjected, "you're too sick to just go outside like that, bro." His tone was soft, his features taut with worry.

"You could have died, Klaus." Vanya's voice was wobbly and scared. She hastily wiped at her own tears when they began to fall. Allison laid her hand over her shoulder to console her.

"We were all terrified Klaus; we were worried sick about you. Thank god you're okay." Allison blinked her tears back from her eyes, she wouldn't allow them to fall.

"Don't be a selfish idiot, Klaus," Five spat, "Had I not come outside when I did—you could have—I thought you were—" Five stopped speaking as his voice broke, he clenched his eyes closed to hide his own fear. He'd found his brother dead once, he couldn't bear to do it again. When he saw Klaus lying like that; curled up and unconscious on the cold, hard ground, a blanket of snow covering his weakened frame, _he was so sure_...

Klaus's grip tightened against Dave as more pain tore through his abdominal cavity, a whimper leaving his lips.

"M's-sorry." Klaus whispered through gritted teeth. He hissed, a hard shudder racking his frame. Dave kissed his temple, holding him closer.

"We need to warm you up, baby." Dave peered down to look at Klaus's pale features, he looked like death. He was shaking so hard.

"Klaus, darling," Grace approached his side, laying her perfect hand against his trembling shoulder. "Let me get a good look at you, dear. Can you look at me? I need to check your vitals—"

"No. No, please. I want to go to my room," Klaus clung to Dave tighter, refusing to face his mother, "Dave, please, please just take me to bed. Let's go upstairs. I'm cold, and so tired - please—" Klaus begged through his tears and pained unsteady breaths. Dave's eyebrows furrowed as he cupped Klaus's nearly frozen cheek in his palm.

"Baby, no. Let Grace look at you. Please, be reasonable—"

"Dave," Grace interrupted, "why don't you take him upstairs, I can treat him there. Body warmth is the best for him now anyways, dear."

Dave nodded while he quickly scooped Klaus's feeble body into his arms. Klaus groaned at the shift in position, but clutched his numb fingers into Dave's shirt as he cuddled himself impossibly closer against his husband's warmth. Dave whisked him upstairs, quickly entering their bedroom where he wasted no time in settling Klaus's still trembling frame down on their bed. Dave rummaged through their drawers, plucking out a dry pair of comfortable pajama pants and promptly undressed Klaus from his snow dampened clothes, before slipping the pants onto his decrepit frame. He didn't replace his shirt, however. Instead, he removed his own shirt before shimmying himself onto the bed beside his love, pressing his body against his own to bestow his own body heat upon his ailing husband.

Klaus whimpered, a fresh wave of pain gripping his intestines as he buried his face against Dave's chest. Dave hugged him tighter, bundling them both beneath their multiple blankets on their bed. Dave couldn't believe how cold Klaus was; the chill from his skin sent a trail of goosebumps down his arms. A knock came from their door before opening, Luther nodded at Dave as he entered the bedroom.

"Mom will be up shortly, Klaus," he informed his sickly brother with a sad smile, "she wanted me to bring you this."

He draped a weighted blanket over top of the two men on the bed and plugged it into the outlet on their wall; it was a heated blanket. Dave smiled, thanking Luther. Luther returned the gesture before glancing at his brother's horribly pale and sickly form. He frowned, laying a hand over his shoulder earning an exhausted glance from Klaus.

"Feel better, okay?" Luther smiled, as Klaus nodded once in thanks before clenching his eyes closed once more. Luther nodded before leaving the room, sending one more sorrowful glance at his brother as he closed the door.

Klaus groaned, pressing his cheek against Dave's shoulder, his body quaking hard even surrounded by all of this heat. He was breathing heavily and humming in pain. Dave just tightened his grip on him, pressing his lips to his temple, relishing having him back safely in his arms.

"God, you're so cold, how long were you out there, baby?" Dave raked his fingers through Klaus's still damp curls, pressing him ever closer against his chest. Klaus hummed, a soft whimper escaping his lips as he weakly tried to look into his husband's worried blue gaze.

"C-can't remember. Not long, I don't think?" Honestly, Klaus couldn't remember. Most of his night had been one giant blur, he vaguely remembered getting to their bedroom. He was just so cold and tired, he didn't have the energy to even attempt to decipher his night or think straight. Dave nodded, pressing his lips to Klaus's curls once more.

Grace came into the bedroom to check on him. She checked his vitals, his temperature; which was alarmingly low, Klaus had been right on the cusp of entering hypothermia. He was extremely lucky he hadn't. During his examination his breathing was far too raspy for Grace's liking, so she hooked Klaus up to his oxygen tank to make his life a little easier. She also connected him back to an IV, all of his shivering stole vital nutrients from his body, he needed urgent assistance to get it back. She smoothed his curls, bending down to kiss his cheek before informing them she would be in periodically to check on him. Dave assured her he would watch over him in the meantime, ensure he got the rest he needed, and impart him with his added warmth. Grace smiled, thanking Dave and telling Klaus she loved him before leaving the married couple alone.

Klaus continued to hum in pain up until he drifted to sleep, his chills slowly but surely faded until his body relaxed; truly relaxed against Dave's warm chest. Dave clutched Klaus's frail body in his strong arms, gently rocking him, kissing him, just holding him and cherishing every precious moment he could savor his presence against his chest. Dave sniffled, hot tears trailing his cheeks as he watched his husband sleep. He was happy he was finally here, he was safe, he was warm and he was with him. His heart fluttered at the terrifying thoughts that he couldn't quite shake from his mind, though.

Klaus was so sick, he was so weak. He was fading, and quick. Dave didn't ever want to lose his love, but he knew deep in his heart that their impending departure was quickly approaching, and he couldn't bear the idea. He couldn't handle the truth.

_He wasn't ready to say goodbye..._

Not now, not tomorrow, not ever.

Dave would never be ready to lose his love. The pain settled deep within his agonized heart as his sorrow lulled him to sleep, with his husbands slowly but surely fading heartbeat thumping against his own.


	19. Chapter 19

Sadly, Klaus's strength never replenished after that night. In fact, his health continued to deteriorate at an alarming rate. Klaus's lungs could no longer function properly, he could no longer inhale a breath of air to breathe on his own without the constant assistance of an oxygen tank. The one thing he never wanted to happen to him; an oxygen cannula becoming a permanent fixture upon his features, unfortunately became his devastating reality.

Not even three days after the incident where he nearly froze to death alone - aside from Ben - in the courtyard had passed, when he tried to join Dave and get out of bed to warm up in a hot bath with his love. However, he was simply too weak to lift his weary frame out of his prone position on their mattress. His arms trembled beneath his slight weight, and ultimately failed to hoist him. Dave watched him with tear filled eyes as Klaus tried again, and again, and again and time and time again he never succeeded. Dave watched as his husband's entire vigor and hope deflated, leaving him a withered crying heap of sorrow on their mattress. He watched as Klaus's heart broke, shattering into a million pieces as his entire world crumbled out from beneath him.

Was this it? His strength was already all but gone, he couldn't breathe on his own anymore, he couldn't even find the strength to sit up in bed, let alone stand. Dave watched as Klaus's frail life quickly careened towards its sudden and ultimate end.

Dave lifted his love into his steady loving arms, lifting his sorrows along with him. Klaus cried against his husband's shoulder, sobbing out his woes and frustrations as Dave carried him into the bathroom. Dave undressed both of their bodies and situated himself in the tub; laying Klaus's devastated frame languidly atop his own strong physique. Dave hugged his love against himself, pressing him ever closer against his warmth, feeling his frantic heart beating against his own as the hot water from the tub steadily filled the basin, further enveloping the two heartbroken lovers in a warm embrace. Klaus needed this moment, Dave needed it as well. They needed a moment of silence to just hold onto each other, cling hopelessly onto one another and just savor this moment; relishing in each other's memory.

As the days rolled over and turned into a new week, Klaus's health stayed on a steady decline towards his inevitable end. His family all made sure to spend their own intimate alone time with their fading sibling. Everyone cycled through, laying with Klaus on his bed, just holding him within their arms and building up their special bond with their beautiful brother. Sometimes they would exchange words of encouragement, or he would bestow some form of imperative knowledge upon them, while other times these special moments would merely consist of his brother or sister clinging onto his unconscious frame as they wept; hugging him impossibly tighter against their chests as they reveled in the precious moment, simply having Klaus within their arms, among the living, with oxygen still filling his weakened lungs.

Klaus's vitality was a constant low hum, he rarely found the energy to be awake for more than an hour at a time anymore, which made his special bonding time with his family unimaginably difficult for all of them. He would try so hard; fight with all of his might to keep his eyes open, and be completely present and aware when his siblings or Dave were around, but as the days passed, the task became increasingly more difficult on him, and the exhaustion it caused him explicitly showed.

"Klaus," Diego whispered as he tucked a sweat laden strand of curls behind his brother's ear, "you can sleep, bro. Really, I don't mind."

Klaus's eyelids were hooded as a heavy fatigue settled itself deep within his weary bones. His breaths were shaky and shallow, even with the added assistance from his oxygen tank. He was just so tired, but he wouldn't dare miss out on even a single precious second that he could be spending with his beloved family.

"M'okay, Di..." he whispered softly before swallowing the saliva from his mouth, "keep going, which ones next?"

Every day this became more difficult for Klaus, and therefore the knowledge of how quickly he was fading sat heavily like an anvil upon everyone's worried chests. Every single day Klaus's life force seemed to dwindle more and more with each unsteady breath he took. Simply acting as a daily reminder to each member of his family how important it was to surround themselves around him as much as they could, and simply savor every second of Klaus's time that he had left on this earth.

"I hope you know how much I love you, Klaus," Five cried against his brother's unconscious frame as he rocked him within his arms, cuddling against him in his bed. "I've always loved you. I'm so sorry I never showed you just how important you are to me. I love you so much, brother. I'm not ready to say goodbye."

New Year's Eve came and went and soon the family found that twenty-nineteen had finally passed, and deposited them into the year twenty-twenty. Last year had been the most difficult year for each member of their family; it brought the apocalypse, which thankfully they were able to avert and prevent from happening, and it brought forth the knowledge of Klaus's cancer, and therefore his impending fate. However, with each negativity it also brought positivity into each of their lives. Twenty-nineteen brought Five back to them, it also introduced Dave into Klaus's life. Klaus's illness, while terrible and heartbreaking in its own right, at least managed to help rekindle the bond between their family, bringing them all closer together as one cohesive family unit; strengthening their bond and love for one another a billion fold. Twenty-twenty allowed them all to clearly see the truest vision and objective within their lives—reminding them how incredibly important Klaus was to each and every single one of their souls.

"Hey, Dave," Luther called from the top of the stairwell, "can you come upstairs? Klaus needs you."

Dave sprang to his feet, darting up the steps as he took them three at a time. Luther smiled sadly, holding his arms up to slow his pace.

"Easy, it's not a rush, he's okay. I promise." Dave exhaled a sigh, running his fingers through his dirty blonde curls, bobbing his head in a nod as he finished ascending the staircase. Luther patted his back reassuringly before leading Dave into the bedroom he shared with Klaus.

Everyone was in the bedroom, circled around Klaus's slumbering frame. They all smiled at Dave in greeting when he entered.

"Klaus, wake up," Allison gently shook her brother's shoulder, cupping his hollowed cheek within her palm to help steady his vision on hers, "Dave's here, are you ready?"

Klaus hummed, his heavy eyelids fluttering before opening. He smiled at Allison before shifting his sights towards Dave. Klaus's lips tugged into a warm and genuine smile, earning a beaming grin from his husband in return.

"Hey, baby." Klaus greeted Dave weakly before licking his lips.

"Hey there, darlin," Dave offered back, "are you okay? What's going on?" He asked, peering around the room and taking in his family's smiling faces. Klaus's lips twitched as he nodded, his hands tiredly reaching for the blankets against his body. His arms shook feebly with fatigue, his fingers were simply too weak to grip the fabric. Diego approached his side, aiding Klaus in removing the blankets from his frame.

"Thanks, Di," Diego smiled, looping his brother's arm over his shoulder and assisting him in sitting upright on the edge of his mattress. He moved with slow sure movements; cautious as to not jostle Klaus too roughly and cause him any harm or dizziness. Allison sat up behind him on the bed, resting her palm against the small of his back to steady him so he wouldn't lose his balance or fall back. Klaus smiled at her in thanks, laying his trembling hand over hers, and gave it a gentle squeeze. Allison kissed his temple before they all turned their attention back to Dave.

"I'm fine, baby, really." Klaus paused to close his eyes to focus on his breathing, "We have something special planned for today—a little outing for us all; a family get together, if you will."

"Klaus, do you think that's a good idea?" Dave approached his husband, kneeling before him as he cupped his hollowed cheeks within his warm palms. Klaus smiled weakly, pressing his own palms against Dave's hands. "You're exhausted, darlin. You should rest—"

"I'm always exhausted, baby." Klaus interjected as firmly as he could, though his voice was soft with permanent fatigue, "This is important to me, please? Just, trust me on this, okay?"

Dave looked into Klaus's weary green eyes, he could see how important this was to him, he wouldn't dare tell him no; not now, not ever.

"Okay, but only if you're sure that you're up for it?"

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

Dave scooped Klaus into his arms in a bridal carry, while Klaus wrapped his arms loosely around Dave's neck, resting his cheek against the warmth of his skin.

"Your hands are so cold, darlin." Dave frowned before nuzzling his nose against Klaus's curls, planting a kiss against his temple. "Five, will you bring me that blanket?" he hugged Klaus closer as Five handed him the blanket in question, before draping it over Klaus's body, tucking it right up to his chin. Klaus hummed in thanks, opening his eyes into slits as his lips tugged into a subtle smile.

"Always putting my needs first, baby," he exhaled a soft tired laugh, closing his eyes and kissing Dave's strong jawline before snuggling back against his broad chest. "Thank you."

Dave smiled against Klaus's curls, his breath sending goosebumps down Klaus's chilled skin. "Of course, baby. I love you so much."

"I love you."

The family moved in synchronized motions with each other down the staircase, through the foyer until they made it outside of the academy into the chilly January air. Klaus's frail body involuntarily shivered against the cold breeze that ruffled his curls, so Dave hugged him closer, tucking his blanket tighter against his trembling form. Diego laid his hand over Dave's shoulder, sending him a brief smile as he ushered him towards Five's van, eager to get Klaus out of the cold to warm his weary frame. Dave sat in the back of the van, holding Klaus tightly against his chest as the remaining members of their family piled in; Five in the driver's seat, Vanya in the passenger seat, and everyone else surrounding Dave and Klaus in the back.

"Turn on the heat, Five. Klaus is freezing." Requested Allison as she took in her brother's shuddering physique.

"Already on it. Sorry Klaus, give it a minute. Vanya, aim the vents towards the back."

"Thank you, guys." Whispered Klaus as he buried his nose against Dave's warm neck.

Five pulled out of the driveway and started heading down the road towards their surprise destination as everyone settled themselves in for the journey ahead of them.

"Where are we going, exactly?" Dave asked as he rubbed his palm up and down Klaus's back to bring him added warmth. Klaus weakly pressed himself away from Dave so that he was sitting slightly more upright in his arms so that he could look his husband in his eyes.

"That is for us to know, and you to find out, baby." He smiled at Dave, just absorbing every beautiful feature of his face to his memory; he never wanted to forget what his husband looked like.

"Oh, so it's a secret, huh?" Dave asked, smile broad against his cheeks, emphasizing his perfect dimples. "You know I don't like secrets, darlin."

"Well, you'll like this one."

"Promise?"

"I promise." Klaus continued to smile at Dave, his green eyes staring deep into his husband's rich blue orbs. Dave smiled as Klaus's weak hands fumbled for his own, weaving their fingers together before pressing them against his chest.

"Baby, don't let me fall asleep, okay?" Klaus requested tiredly; his eyes already threatening to close.

"Are you sure?" Dave ran the fingers of his free hand through Klaus's curls before resting it at the nape of his neck. "If you're tired, you should rest. You shouldn't deny yourself that—"

"Please, I don't want to sleep. I want to savor every moment of this, being right here with you." Dave nodded, pressing his forehead to Klaus's, their noses nuzzling against each other before he pulled back, kissing Klaus's temple.

"Okay, but if you change your mind, or you get too tired, promise me you'll listen to your body and sleep?" Klaus only nodded, his smile never wavering as he lovingly watched his husband's every move.

The car ride was long and laborious, mostly quiet aside from the sound of Klaus's oxygen tank forcing air into his weakened lungs. That, and the sound of the two lover's never ending praise of love for one another. Their eyes were interlocked on each other the entire journey, their smiles giant and full of immense love and adoration for each other.

Dave kept kissing Klaus everywhere he could; he would kiss his forehead, his cheek, his nose. He would kiss his temple, his jawline, his clavicle. Klaus would smile, giggling softly at the sensation of his husband's delicate touch, and warm wisps of breath dancing across his skin. Klaus would pucker his lips, begging Dave to kiss his pout, and smile hard against his loving touch. They would pull away just long enough to tell each other that they love each other before repeating their shower of affection over and over again for the entire duration of the trip. Dave would pull their interwoven fingers to his mouth, kissing the delicate skin of Klaus's hand, earning a shuddered laugh from his love. His siblings watched in utter awe; completely left enamored by their affection. They had to stifle their tears at how sweet and pure Dave and Klaus were together. Seeing Klaus so utterly in love, and loved so thoroughly - at last - for the first time, witnessing him being appreciated, and cared for, and seeing the smile on his face, they'd never seen him more happy in his entire life.

"I love you." Dave whispered proudly for the umpteenth time that trip, while Klaus smiled happily, savoring every single kiss, and every single syllable to every single word.

"I love you—" Klaus's words faltered as they morphed into a groan, his eyes pinching shut as his free hand clenched above his swollen belly. Dave frowned, pressing Klaus tighter against himself before kissing his temple.

"Are you alright, baby?" Dave asked worriedly, taking in his husband's uncomfortable expression. Klaus exhaled a soft moan, nodding his head before another pained whimper escaped his lips. Dave rocked Klaus in his arms in an attempt to soothe him, to take his mind off of his pain, and to comfort him through his discomfort as best as he could.

Klaus's pain was always there, ever present. It would typically be settled at a constant dull discomfort deep within his chest and his stomach, only to make its presence known at the worst possible times. His flairs were agonizing, he often felt like he'd been cut into with a dull blade repeatedly, or like a bear was gnawing on his intestines, or using his heart as a chew toy.

Even still, Klaus never faltered on his sobriety. He stuck to his guns and stayed sober, never accepting any form of pain medication during his entire battle with cancer. He was proud of himself for his choice; it was extremely difficult for him, but in his heart he knew he couldn't turn back to drugs. He wanted to be physically and mentally present at all times, and be able to absorb every precious second he could with his loved ones without the haze, or fog that being on drugs used to leave him in. He didn't want to be numb to the world anymore, although it would have been nice to numb his pain.

"Are we almost there? His pain is starting to flare up again." Dave asked as his gaze shot to Five's in the rear view mirror.

"Less than five minutes. I'm hurrying Klaus, I promise."

"It's okay—" Klaus gritted through clenched teeth, another whimper bursting from his chest, "it's okay, I'm okay."

"Klaus, you look like shit." Ben noted worriedly from beside him. Klaus's eyes flickered to his ghostly sibling sorrowfully before returning to Dave's concerned gaze.

"I'm okay." He reassured once more. Dave nodded, pressing his lips to Klaus's curls, pulling him closer. Klaus focused on taking deep steady breaths, trying to ignore his pain in his abdomen.

_"I'm okay..."_

Dave continued to cradle Klaus the remainder of the trip, rocking him gently in his arms as he left a steady trail of kisses against his hairline; whispering words of encouragement and endearment to him the entire time. Klaus smiled through his fading pain, simply relishing being in Dave's warm embrace, his heart swelling with love at his husband's beautiful words.

"Okay, we're here." Five informed as the van traversed slowly over a path with a more rough terrain before finally coming to a stop. Klaus's eyes opened, his lips tugging into a warm smile as his heart fluttered with anticipation and excitement.

"Dave," Klaus whispered, his voice soft and slow from his increasing fatigue from the long journey, "close your eyes." Dave smiled, leaning into Klaus and snagging his pout in another kiss, earning an exhale of laughter from his love.

"Okay. I'll close my eyes." Dave dramatically fluttered his eyelids before pinching his eyes closed. Klaus's smile widened at his husband's silly antics.

"No peeking."

Diego and Luther flanked Dave to either side as they helped guide him safely out of the van. Dave kept Klaus cradled tightly against his chest as they started walking down an unfamiliar path; the sound of gravel crunched beneath each of their slow and steady steps.

"Where are we?" Dave asked curiously, his lips still tugged into a genuine smile. Klaus kissed his jawline, burying his forehead beneath his husband's chin as he absorbed every ounce of his presence and warmth.

"Just keep your eyes closed, baby. You'll see soon enough." Klaus tightened his grip around Dave's shoulders and neck, clinging onto him as closely as he could. He exhaled a shaky breath when he felt the January chill against his flesh. Klaus was so tired today; the most tired he'd felt since the start of his illness, his entire body felt heavy with an immense fatigue, but he wouldn't dare allow himself to sleep.

Klaus and his siblings had been secretly working in quiet together; planning this day for Dave. The surprise was a long time coming, something Klaus wanted to give to Dave ever since the first time he'd told Klaus that he loved him. His heart fluttered in anticipation to see the look on his love's face when he first sees his gift. Klaus wouldn't miss witnessing his excitement for the world, and couldn't wait to see the smile that would undoubtedly light up Dave's face. He wouldn't dare sleep through this, Klaus's brief pain would be worth it just to see Dave filled with such joy; to see the love of his life be truly _happy_.

Klaus's fluttering heart slowly morphed onto the all too familiar painful cramping in his chest. He forced his eyes shut, pressing his forehead deeper into Dave's touch and just focused on taking deep steadying breaths.

"Are you feeling okay, darlin?" Dave must have recognized Klaus's display of discomfort. He couldn't hide anything from Dave, he was always so intuitive when it came to Klaus and his every need.

"M'okay," Klaus's body trembled from the chill surrounding them and his pain, he couldn't control his tremors, "I'm just a little cold, s'all."

Dave frowned as he hugged Klaus unimaginably tighter against himself, wrapping the blanket closer against his shuddering shoulders. Klaus's lips quivered as he nuzzled his temple beneath Dave's chin. He would never get over how kind Dave always was to him, ensuring his safety and comfort came before all else. Klaus would never get over just how much he loved this man.

"I love you so much, Dave." Klaus whispered against Dave's neck, before delicately planting a kiss against his warm skin. Dave smiled, laying his cheek atop Klaus's curls in an attempt to hug him even closer.

"Not as much as I love you, Klaus."

The close knit family continued to walk down the unpaved path for what felt like forever to Klaus. He wasn't sure if it was because of his building excitement to share this gift with Dave, or if it was because he was just so tired. He struggled to keep his eyes open any longer and kept catching himself nodding off, the warmth of his husband beneath him, and the soft happy banter echoing around him was only succeeding in lulling him to sleep. His head kept toggling, limply sliding out of its comfortable position on Dave's shoulder and bobbing down against his chest.

_Klaus was just so exhausted today..._

"Are you sure that you're okay, baby?" Dave asked after feeling Klaus's body jerk itself back into position.

"Don't let me sleep, Dave. Please?" Klaus pleaded, Dave could hear the utter exhaustion in his exasperated tone.

"Klaus, if you're this tired, maybe you shou—"

"No! Please, baby. I don't want to miss this, I want to see your face—"

"We could wake you up when we get to wherever it is that we are going, darlin. You're clearly tired. You should rest, you need it."

"No, I'm fine. Please, baby...please?" Klaus's voice was shaking with desperation behind his tone. Dave hated hearing him sounding so upset, he just wanted his love to be safe, to be okay.

"Okay, I promise. I won't let you fall asleep." Dave kissed Klaus's forehead, his nose and his cheek.

"Thank you, baby." Klaus weakly smiled into the kiss Dave then placed upon his lips. "I love you."

"I love you, darlin," Dave cupped Klaus's cheek within his palm, gently tracing the pad of his thumb over Klaus's sharp cheekbones, he only wished he could open his eyes to look at his love's beautiful face. "I love you so, very, very much."

After their perilous journey from the van (which in reality was a less than five minute walk) they finally reached their surprise destination.

"Okay, we're here." Luther informed, laying a hand on Dave's arm.

"You ready, Klaus?" Diego asked, rubbing his brother's shoulder with his warm palm as their paces came to a stop.

Klaus's heart fluttered wildly within his chest, his lips tugging into the widest smile as he looked around at each of his siblings before looking at Dave.

"Okay, Dave. Are you ready for your surprise, baby?" Klaus's breaths came out quicker as his elation built up inside of him. Dave smiled, nodding his head excitedly. Klaus locked his vision on his husband's face, readying himself to experience his joy as it lit up his features.

"Open your eyes."

Dave opened his eyes and immediately he was overwhelmed with so many different feelings and emotions as he took in their location. They were standing in front of a farmhouse; flanked on either side with oversized pastures lined with four-board fencing. Dave could see a little red barn in the far corner of the property, and a large pond just beyond that. Klaus's lips trembled, tears trailing his cheeks as he witnessed this beautiful moment. This was what Dave had always wanted; he was overjoyed he was able to give this to him, at last.

"Four bedrooms, two baths on fourteen acres. The house and barn need a little work, but they've got good bones, baby. I know you'll make this place something really special." Dave peered deep into Klaus's tear filled eyes, his own blue orbs beginning to water.

"Wait, darlin, is this—"

"_Yours_, baby," Klaus's chest shuddered as he inhaled a sharp breath through his tears, "this is for _you_."

"It's _ours_? This?" Dave gestured around them to the gorgeous property, "all of this is _ours_?"

"Yeah, baby," Klaus's shoulders quaked as a sob burst through his lips, his head bobbing in a nod. "It's all ours. Just you and me."

Dave pressed their foreheads together hugging Klaus as tightly as he could while Klaus continued to cry. He was so incredibly happy he was able to ensure Dave got his dream property; he only wished he would be able to experience the beautiful life they'd planned together.

_Klaus could feel himself fading…_

Deep within his heart he _knew_ that he wouldn't make it long enough to live in this wonderful home, and experience the perfect life that he so desperately yearned to live. He only hoped that Dave would be able to carry on without him, and live his life happily, and healthily even if it meant Klaus couldn't be in it.

He only hoped that Dave knew just how much he loved him; he'd _always_ loved him, and always _would_ love him; even once he was gone. This was something special to both of them, and he only wished Dave knew that while he may not get to share it with him physically, he would _always_ be there with him in spirit: for now, forever and for always.

"It was all Klaus's idea, Dave," Vanya began, smiling as she watched the beautiful couple absorbing each other's love in this special moment. "He told us all about your dream, and we all worked together to find this place."

"It's completely paid off," Allison informed wiping at her own tears, "all it needs is your personal touch."

"Come on you two," Luther laid his palm against Dave's upper back, their eyes meeting in a smile, "let's go see your new home."

The entire family approached the front entryway of Klaus and Dave's new home. Each member gathered around each other on the cozy front porch as Five handed Dave the key. Klaus smiled tiredly at Five in thanks, his eyes slowly drooping as he struggled to stay awake.

"Thank you," Dave smiled at Five and around to each sibling before his eyes landed on his husband's. The beautiful couple shared a kiss before Dave slid the key into the lock; unlocking the double French doors to their dream home and finally stepping inside.

"Welcome home, baby."

Klaus's lips twitched into a smile, his weary green eyes opening wide as he was overwhelmed by such a pure sense of joy. The interior of their home was gorgeous; it had tall vaulted ceilings that boasted exposed wooden beams in the main living area, and the flooring was hardwood. It was old, and worn, but with a little sanding, refinishing and plenty of tender loving care it was evident that they would once again shine like they did when they were new. The walls were plain white, and the paint was chipping, it was clear the home sat vacant and unloved for quite some time, but Klaus knew how badly Dave wanted a fixer upper that he could mold, and shape into his own dream home. The issues were small, all cosmetic, but the bones were strong, and soon the space would be brimming once again with life and _love_.

They walked around room by room admiring the open floor plan and large living spaces. The living room had a brick fireplace with a large wooden mantle that was broken, but Dave was already explaining what materials he would use to replace it and make the area shine like new. The front wall was lined by a large picture window, one that would allow plenty of sunlight to brighten the space. It was so open, and airy, and welcoming as it sat, Klaus only wished he would get the chance to see how beautiful it would be once Dave poured his heart into making it their own.

The kitchen was a large farmhouse kitchen with an oversized island and butcher block countertops that spanned the length of the space. The cabinetry was painted white and also chipping, but Dave said that would be an easy fix, and that they could decide later if they wanted to change up the color scheme. It was _theirs_, after all, they could change or keep the same whatever they so pleased. The sink was a deep farmhouse sink, and there was an eat-in kitchen area where they would be able to fit a small table, large enough to sit up to four people. Klaus could picture Dave sipping his coffee every morning while reading his newspaper there, while he busied himself in the kitchen to prepare them some breakfast.

_It was a perfect dream…_

There was also a formal dining room, one that Klaus would have loved to have for entertaining for holidays, and special events. He quickly wiped away the tears that fell from his eyes as he cleared that thought from his mind. This was his dream kitchen, in his dream home with his dream man and he couldn't allow himself to dwell over the knowledge that while he had it, and all of this was finally his, he would never get to truly experience it, or see how wonderful it would undoubtedly become.

The main bathroom wasn't overly large. It had a stand up shower, and a pedestal sink with a small linen closet; while the master bathroom had a deep soaker tub. Klaus couldn't help but to think of how he would have loved to enjoy a hot bath with Dave after a long day in that tub.

The bedrooms were all excellent sizes, with large closets, and the master bedroom would easily fit a king sized bed. All of the rooms had plenty of windows allowing ample amounts of natural lighting to illuminate the space. The master had a large window with an accompanying window seat where the couple could sit and watch their animals graze in their fields. Klaus smiled as he absorbed the stunning views of their pastures.

Klaus's eyes fluttered, his smile wavering as he exhaled a groan, tightening his grip against Dave's shirt when his heart clenched suddenly and the painful fluttering in his chest flared once again.

"Are you feeling alright baby?" Dave asked as he studied Klaus's pained expression with worried eyes.

"M'okay, just in a little pain." he whispered softly, his words unsteady as he struggled to inhale a breath.

"Do you need to rest for a minute?" Klaus went to protest, to say that he was fine, but his pain became even stronger. His heart clenched painfully again, causing him to gasp out. Klaus was unable to hide his discomfort. "Let's lay down for a few minutes." Dave suggested before he laid Klaus's weary frame down against the bare mattress in their master bedroom, before curling himself up beside him.

Klaus closed his eyes and focused on steadying his breathing while Dave stroked his fingers through his curls to soothe him. They stayed like that for a few moments, cuddled up together in each other's arms on the bed within their bedroom until Klaus convinced himself that he felt well enough for them to continue on. He opened his tired emerald eyes and peered to Dave who was smiling softly down at him.

"I could get used to this; waking up right here, in this room with you in my arms," Dave kissed Klaus's temple, pulling him into an embrace. "I love you so much, darlin. Thank you for this, I can't wait to share all of this with you, to spend our lives together right here in our home. I can't believe that all of this is really ours."

Klaus's lashes fluttered as he tried miserably to fight off his tears. He wanted that so badly, too. To experience beautiful moments with his husband right here in this home, in this room. To grow, and flourish, and experience all of the wonders life with Dave had to offer. Klaus buried his face against Dave's neck, savoring his touch, his warmth, just absorbing every bit of his husband's undying love.

"Me too, baby. I couldn't imagine anything I have ever wanted more," he kissed Dave's neck hugging him as tightly as he could with his weak arms, and just held him, absorbing every precious second that he could with the love of his life. "I love you baby. I love you so, so much."

"I love you."

Dave held him for a few moments longer before they eventually agreed it was time to explore the rest of their home and property. Once they explored all that the interior of their home had to offer, they made their way outside. The paddocks were large, and the entire property was fenced, and cross fenced and ready to go for all of the animals they always dreamed of owning. The grass was tall and unkempt after over a year of lying vacant, but aside from some weeds that would undoubtedly need pulling, they were lush green pastures that any horse, donkey, cow or goat would be lucky to graze in. They entered the old red barn and were both surprised to find that while the paint was chipped, peeling and fading away, that the inside was in rather good condition.

It was a four stall barn with 12x12 stalls, and a separate 12x14 feed room on one side, and a tack room of the same dimensions on the other. There was a cross tie at each end of the barn, and an outdoor wash rack for bathing just outside the rear doors. The stalls were in excellent shape overall; only a few boards would need replacing where the previous occupants of the stalls clearly chewed on the wood. They walked around back to view the lake. It was much bigger than it looked from the front, spanning what the couple estimated to be over an acre if not more. There was a dock that stretched out ten feet past the shoreline with benches where they could sit and watch the daily sunrise or sunsets from the comfort of their own property.

_They both agreed that it was a beautiful spot where they could sit and create more wonderful memories together…_

They explored the entire property, checking the fence line, and ensuring it was all secure, before stumbling upon a large garden space. There were rows of untilled plots just lying there waiting for them to tend to. There was a small greenhouse which still housed a few plants that miraculously survived despite not being cared for over a span of however many months.

_Klaus only wished that he could be so lucky; survive despite all of the odds that were stacked against him…_

The sun was slowly beginning its descent from the horizon, and was casting a brilliant golden glow across their property. Dave smiled as he held Klaus and kissed his temple. The couple made their way back towards the dock so that they could witness the beautiful scenery of the sunset over their own private lake. Dave sat Klaus down so that they could sit and watch the sunset together for the first time at their new home. Klaus smiled into Dave's kiss before the painful cramping in his heart flared again. It was a strong pain, the strongest he had felt before, and it stole Klaus's breath away, making his vision blur. He swayed when he was overwhelmed by dizziness, a pained gasp leaving his lips.

"Woah, easy," Dave steadied him by his shoulders while he looked him in his eyes, "what is it, darlin? Are you okay?"

"Klaus, something is wrong," Ben began as he watched his brother with a worried expression, "You have to tell Dave. Something isn't right."

"M'fine." Klaus was quick to ignore his brother and dismiss his agony, but the pain wouldn't stop, it just continued to intensify. He just felt so light headed, his eyes pinched closed as another groan permeated his lips. He tried to focus on his breathing, he tried to will his pain away, and enjoy what should have been a beautiful moment of watching the sunset with his husband, but he was just in so much pain.

"Klaus, please tell Dave that something is wrong! Klaus, listen to me, please!" Ben begged, but it was already too late.

Suddenly, the world around him became distant. Klaus's eyelashes fluttered as his vision grew hazy and his hearing became obscured by a high pitched ringing. He tried to focus, push this terrible feeling away when his heart spasmed painfully in his chest. Klaus whimpered, as an agonized cry burst past his teeth. Almost as quickly as this flare came, it was gone. Unfortunately, it took what vital energy Klaus had along with it. It was as though every bone in Klaus's body liquified, his eyes rolled back and his body went slack.

"Klaus—" Dave called his name as he lunged to grab a hold of him so he wouldn't collapse off of the bench. Klaus's eyes opened weakly, his breaths coming in short pained gasps. He was just still in so much pain.

"Baby, I - I don't feel so good - I think I need to lay down." he said through his weakened gasps. Klaus's eyelids fluttered as his energy continued to fade.

"Darlin," Dave tapped Klaus's cheek gently when his body went limp in his arms. He was conscious but weak and lethargic. Klaus wasn't aware of Dave's presence, his breathing continued to become more weak and labored, "baby, are you okay? Klaus?"

_But Klaus didn't answer…_

"Please, please baby, no. Stay with me, you have to stay with me," Dave scooped Klaus's body into his arms. Each second that passed Klaus's breathing became steadily weaker and it suddenly dawned on Dave what was happening: this was it, Klaus was _fading_, he was _losing_ him. "No, no, no, Luther! Diego! Anybody, please!"

Klaus's siblings heard Dave's panicked pleading and ran to them, their hearts plummeting at the sight of their brother.

"We need to get him to a hospital!"

They hurriedly brought him into the van as Five gunned it towards the highway, Klaus was crying, tears streaming down his pale and hollowed cheeks. He was quiet aside from the occasional whimper and totally still except for the tremor of his quivering lips.

"Hold on, baby. You have to hold on!" Dave wailed as he cradled him against his chest. He couldn't lose him, not now. Not when they finally had their perfect little home together, not when they were just about to have a fresh start in their lives. He couldn't say goodbye, he wasn't ready.

_He never would be…_

"M-s-sorry, D-Dave," Klaus whispered weakly, his hand gently clutching onto Dave's.

"You're going to be okay, baby. Just please, stay with me..." Klaus's eyelashes fluttered as his eyes slipped closed. "Please, baby I'm begging you, don't leave me!"


	20. Chapter 20

The ride to the hospital was agonizingly painful, and not only for Klaus. No one could breathe; it was like the oxygen within the van had been lit aflame, burning their lungs, tarnishing their hearts, and blackening their already feeble souls. Everyone was quiet, no words were spoken between anyone, no audible noise besides Dave's pleading for Klaus not to leave him, telling him that he still needs him, and letting him know that it can't be his time to go.

Klaus's pained whimpering had calmed down quite a bit since they first started their hurried journey rushing him to the hospital. He was conscious, he was aware, but he was eerily silent and still. Klaus's breathing had slowed to a frighteningly low rate, and his eyes, while still displaying his agony and obvious fear were hooded and half open, it was evident just how badly he was struggling to stay awake. While silent, he was still a soldier trapped within his weary body, fighting a losing battle, and clinging onto life as best as he could. Klaus was unwilling to leave his loved ones, as well as unable to say goodbye, his utter refusal to leave Dave and his siblings was his only reason he had not yet let go of his hold on life, or allowed himself to cross to the other side.

They were all just thankful that Klaus and Dave's property, while still out of the city, was close enough to the hospital that they were able to make it there in a record time. Dave had begged, pleaded with Five to use his abilities to teleport Klaus to the hospital, they knew that he didn't have much time, but Five couldn't guarantee that doing so wouldn't have caused Klaus more harm, so they opted to avoid risking it. All that mattered was ensuring he was as comfortable as they could keep him, and get him the help he needed as soon as they possibly could. They couldn't lose him, no one wanted to say goodbye. They couldn't, they wouldn't, they never would.

_None of them would ever be ready to say goodbye…_

When they arrived Dave rushed Klaus through the emergency doors and everything from that moment on was a blur. He couldn't see anymore through the haze of his tears, he couldn't hear past the thunderous beating of his heartbeat that was flooding his ears. The nurses had to forcibly pry Klaus out of Dave's arms. Dave didn't want to let him go, he was afraid that if he broke contact with his love, it would sever his tie to this world, that Klaus would be gone forever, and he would never see him again.

_Dave didn't want to ever let his love go…_

Dave and Klaus's siblings paced up and down the halls, finally able to release their emotions as their tears fell freely, and their hearts broke; crumbling and allowing their emotional walls to wither away, falling and crashing into oblivion as they coped the only way they knew how. Through tears, and agony, and clinging onto what little faith that they tried to possess in the months since they had first learned of Klaus's diagnosis. Dave couldn't move anymore, his knees turned to jello and he had to sit down in one of the chairs. He buried his face into his hands and he lost himself within himself. He couldn't differentiate between time, or space. He was unaware of his surroundings, of voices trying to comfort him, hands on his back, arms around his shoulders. He didn't even know who he was anymore. Dave was terrified—what if this was really it? Deep down in his heart he knew that this day was coming, they all had, but they'd tried so hard to avoid it, to postpone the inevitable and almost pretend like this would never happen. Dave was so hopeful that his love, his husband, his _life_ would somehow pull through this. He couldn't believe he may actually need to say goodbye.

"Hargreeves," The doctor called and suddenly Dave was on his feet. He had tunnel vision, eyes, mind and heart focused on only one thing as his legs carried him forward. Klaus's siblings were flanking his side as they followed Klaus's doctor down the familiar hall that they had all grown all too familiar with. They stopped outside a door before the room that held his love, and the doctor addressed them all with a somber face that none of them could ignore.

"I am so, terribly sorry," he began, and already Dave felt his resolve crumble at his words. He always knew deep in his heart that this would happen, and that this was coming. He'd spent months trying in vain to prepare for this moment, but truthfully, how does one ever prepare for this? How is one ever supposed to be able to say goodbye, to lose the only person who ever meant anything to oneself? "Unfortunately, I'm afraid Klaus's time appears to be drawing to an end. His health has taken a sudden plunge. I'm very sorry, the tumor on his heart has grown and is cutting off the blood flow, it can no longer function properly. I'm afraid that at this rate, he may not have very much time left."

"How long?" Demanded Five, he needed to know how much time his beloved brother Klaus had left. "Weeks, days?"

"I'm sorry," the doctor repeated, he didn't know what else he could say. He knew how hard this would be for this family, he'd watched for months as they rallied around Klaus, trying everything they could to prevent this from happening. He hated that it had to be this way, "he may only have a few hours left, maybe even less. I—I am truly sorry."

"Can we see him?" Vanya asked, her voice wobbled with anguish as she looked towards the doctor with soggy despair filled eyes, "Please?"

"Of course." The doctor nodded his head solemnly. He laid a sorry hand on Dave's shoulder and the two men exchanged an apologetic glance before he opened the door for the family to join Klaus within his room.

There Klaus laid, his body was stoic and still aside from the heaving of his chest as he struggled desperately to gasp for his next breath. He looked unnaturally pale, and his already frail frame seemed to have somehow shrunk even more. It broke everyone's hearts to see Klaus this way, it seemed impossible for him to be any more close to death than he was at this moment. Klaus's tear filled green orbs met Dave's baby blues as he approached his husband's side. Dave could not help but to notice just how heavy and incredibly tired Klaus's eyes were. Klaus's lips tugged into the subtlest of smiles when Dave took his hands into his own, before taking a seat on the bed beside the love of his life.

"Hey, baby," Dave whispered sadly as a new batch of his tears made themselves present. He cupped Klaus's deathly hollowed cheek in his hand, and Klaus closed his eyes as he nuzzled against the warmth of his husband's palm.

"Dave," Klaus whispered weakly. His voice was wobbly and breathless. His lips trembled, as a steady stream of tears tumbled over his cheeks. Klaus sucked in a sharp breath, a combination of the pain in his chest and just his urgency to need oxygen in his lungs, "Davey, I'm sorry, I love you, I—"

"Shh, I'm here baby, we are all here." Dave assured him while he wiped away Klaus's tears, "Save your energy, okay?"

"No, baby," Klaus whimpered as his feeble hands reached for Dave's, his fingers gripped onto his husband with all of the strength he barely possessed. He was trembling, Klaus was so weak already, he could feel himself dying. He knew he didn't have much time, but he had so much that he still needed to say, "I am so sorry, I love you so much, baby. So much." Klaus paused to catch his breath before continuing. "I love all of you. I-I don't want to go. I'm so sorry—"

"I'm sorry, baby," Dave cooed through his tears, "I'm sorry I couldn't save you. I should have tried harder, I should have done more. Maybe if I would have just—"

"Baby, no...no," Klaus's eyes fluttered and he groaned when the pain in his chest grew stronger. Dave saw how his husband was struggling and stroked his thumb over his cheek, fixating his eyes on his loves. "None of this is your fault. Please, please don't think that way. I—I love you, Dave."

Klaus closed his eyes when his pain grew in intensity. His body began to feel somehow less like his own as his strength continued to diminish. Klaus laid his hands over Dave's, intertwining his fingers between his own. His heart cramped painfully, each beat was slowing down, as they headed towards their final halt. He sucked in a long, shaky breath and looked around the room to each of his siblings; Luther, Diego, Allison, and Five were to his left. They all were crying, unable to hide their tears. Klaus exhaled slowly before inhaling another breath, he peered to his other side; Ben was beside him, a look of pure devastation on his tear-stained face. He was promising Klaus that everything was going to be okay, that he would be with him always and telling Klaus not to be afraid. To his left was Vanya, Klaus didn't think he'd ever seen his sister look smaller, or more like a child with tear tracks down her beautiful face.

Klaus smiled weakly before looking straight at Dave. There he was in all of his beauty; his husband's eyes were always the first thing Klaus noticed about his love. Such deep pools of sapphire blue. They were always so kind, so gentle, and always held such a profound amount of love behind each iris.

_Dave's eyes always shined brightest with the amount of love that he felt when he looked at Klaus…_

And now they were weeping, each teardrop a chunk of his heart breaking off before shattering into shards that were seeping through the souls of his eyes. Klaus's own heart shattered, his own broken pieces of his heart staining each cheek with each labored breath that he struggled to take.

"I love you all so much, I never wanted to leave any of you" Klaus whispered softly, his heart thumping a slow rhythm within his chest, slowing down and fading as he inhaled his final breath, "I'm so sorry, baby. I love you, I'm not ready to leave you, I..love you..Dave—"

Klaus's breathing faltered to a sudden stop just as his frail body went limp within Dave's loving grasp. His hands were only still raised because of Dave's own grip. Klaus's eyes were open, but the fire within his soul, the effervescence of his life had gone, and left in its place two empty voids. Klaus's heart was no longer beating, and Dave's eyes widened as he released one of Klaus's hands to press against his neck to check for his pulse. Dave cried out, looking to each sibling before his eyes returned to his love's still form.

No pulse, was what he found. The cries of his family echoed through the room as each member realized the horrifying truth: this was it.

_His battle was over…_

_Klaus was really gone…_

Klaus's hand fell limply at his side, his palm facing up with a bold print 'Goodbye'.

"No, baby, please," Dave wailed. He scooped Klaus's limp form into his arms, pulling his husband against his chest as he wept against his frighteningly still shoulder, "come back, baby! Please! Don't leave me, you can't! I love you, please!"

Dave's voice was strained through his gut wrenching sobs. He couldn't believe this was happening, this couldn't be true. Klaus was just there, just talking, just smiling, just laughing...

_Dave startled, inhaling a gasp when he was suddenly pushed against the evergreen, the rough bark digging into his exposed back. He exhaled a sigh of relief when he realized it was only his boyfriend, Klaus._

_"Tag, you're it!" Klaus cheered, his emerald green eyes bright and full of excitement as he stared ever so slightly up into Dave's own blues. Klaus laughed, his beautiful Cheshire grin spanning the width of his face as his laughter sang like a choir of angels to Dave's ears. Dave smiled fondly, his own laughter joining his love's; Klaus's laughter had always been Dave's favorite sound._

_"Tag? I've already been chasing you, darlin," Dave said as he kissed the tip of Klaus's nose, his heart fluttering at the warmth that filled Klaus's cheeks at the gesture, "and, surprise! I already won!" He pivoted, spinning so that Klaus's back was pinned against the tree, Dave's broad chest pressed against Klaus's bare flesh. He kissed Klaus's forehead, his cheek, before peppering his neck and shoulder with kiss after kiss. Klaus chuckled, wriggling under Dave's breath._

_"I told you to shave that pitiful excuse of a beard, baby. It's like sandpaper. You're giving me a rug burn!" Klaus laughed, cupping Dave's cheek within his palm before trailing it down his face. He scratched beneath his chin like he would a puppy's earning a yip from Dave; the tickling sensation making him squirm. Klaus's laughter bellowed at his boyfriend's reaction, tears reaching his eyes as he struggled to breathe, "God, you're too damn cute."_

_Klaus kissed Dave then, hard and full of a long winded passion. Dave couldn't believe how much he already loved this man._

"Please, God, give him back to me! I can't lose you, baby! Please, please come back!" Dave begged, his pleading cries echoing throughout the small hospital room. Klaus's siblings were crying, too. Allison and Vanya were each clutching onto each other, each heart wrenching sob shaking their slender frames. Five was sitting on the floor, his legs had failed him the moment he realized that Klaus, his beautiful brother, was gone, and would never return again. He had his knees folded and pulled tightly against his chest, his eyes buried against his arms that were wrapped around his legs. He was rocking back and forth, his shoulders shaking with each unsteady sob he made.

Luther was holding Diego upright, it was a miracle he hadn't collapsed; his face was an unearthly shade of pale. Luther cried, his face contorted with his own misery as he held onto his brother. Diego was breathing heavy, his lips were trembling while heavy droplets of tears poured over his ashen cheeks.

"No, Klaus!" Diego finally cried as this unfortunate reality finally hit him and he came a little more to his senses, "Please, god, no! This can't be happening! It can't!" Luther pulled Diego into an embrace, their figures trembling as more cries of pain, and loss filled the small hospital room.

Dave pulled away from Klaus, laying his body back on the bed.

_His body…_

He didn't like to think of his love like that, but that's all that he was, now. Just the hollow shell of the man he loved so - the man he still loves, and would forever love. Dave sniffled, his eyes barely able to see through the vastness of his tears while his trembling hands found their way back to his husband's cheeks. Klaus's warmth was already fading, his eyes were stuck in an eerie vacant stare. Dave's heart clenched at the sight. This was not right, those were not his love's eyes, he could never forget those beautiful, vibrant green hues…

_A brilliant flash of blue jolted Dave from his rather restless slumber. Propping himself on his elbows he squinted his eyes open expecting a blinding light, or intense flames from fire. His eyebrows furrowed when instead of an explosion from a bomb, or a strike from a bolt of lightning, his eyes landed on an even more curious sight. A man was staring up at him from the ground; his expression was bewildered at best, confusion heavy in the air as his giant doe-like green eyes hyper focused on Dave's bemused blues. Dave had never seen such a beautiful shade of green before. This man, he had no idea who he was, or where he'd come from, but one thing Dave realized amidst all of the chaos - was that this man was beautiful, and he needed to learn more about him. The man shook his head and went to speak when an explosion went off and Dave leapt from his bed to help this man to his feet. He remembered amongst all of the chaos and confusion that the two men parted ways, but he felt his heart flutter when he spotted him on the bus later that day. He smiled when he extended his hand to the man in greeting, "Dave." Then those beautiful green eyes smiled just for him and his hand found his own, "Klaus." Dave knew at that moment that his life as he knew it would forever be changed as their eyes stayed locked on each other, smiles wide as they finally exchanged names._

Dave's hand trembled as he delicately placed his palm to Klaus's face, stroking his soft skin before he gently closed his love's eyes. He couldn't believe this was really happening, he was unable to accept that Klaus was really gone. He didn't want this to be real, he couldn't accept it as truth. Dave still needed him, he couldn't bear the idea of actually needing to let him go.

"Please, please, god - please, I'm begging you, give him back. Please, I can't—I can't lose you, baby, please. Please come back, I love you. I was supposed to protect you! We were supposed to grow old together, we just got our farm, darlin. We—we—we were supposed to be happy! You made me happy, baby! Please, please come back to me! I love you!"

_The sun was just beginning to peak over the mountain of the crouching beasts; brilliant rays of sunlight danced across the open field the two soldiers were laying upon. They were fully exposed, and one with nature as their sweat intermingled with the morning dew that was thickly laden over each tall blade of grass surrounding the pair. Dave could only smile at the glorious sight before him. Klaus was practically glowing as the sunlight enveloped his skin, only helping to enhance his already naturally extraordinary beauty. His emerald green eyes were still heavy with sleep but they shined with love as soon as they met Dave's blue orbs. Klaus's smile stretched wide across his features, Dave always loved that smile, it was so infectious he couldn't help but to smile himself whenever he saw it. Dave still couldn't quite grasp the fact that this stunningly perfect creature was his. How had he been lucky enough to meet this wonderful person, and do-so deep down in the depths of hell, no less? When Dave came to Vietnam he came expecting to fight in this war, and potentially give his life for his country. The last thing he ever expected to find was love. But boy, did he. And he could not be any more grateful that he had been blessed enough to find this vision and share his time serving with such an amazing man. Klaus could always make Dave smile, or laugh. His humor was truly one of a kind, and something Dave loved and appreciated more than he would ever be able to voice to Klaus. He was beautiful, gifted in so many things, from picking up and learning things so quickly; whether it be how to cook, or learning a new trick to always hit his target, Klaus was just so incredibly special. Not to mention that he was beautiful. Everything about Klaus was perfect to Dave; from his smile, his beautiful eyes that displayed every emotion he was ever feeling so vividly, to the way his lips felt against his, or the way his hand fit within his own. Dave just loved Klaus, and couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life with this man. Only a few short weeks away and they would be able to get out of the military, return to the states and buy their perfect little farm. Dave was so excited to share something so perfect with the love of his life._

_Dave exhaled the breath in his lungs as he cupped his calloused palm to Klaus's cheek. Their eyes met and Klaus's lips tugged into a crooked grin. He ran his palm down Dave's forearm before running his fingers through his dirty blonde curls and Dave chuckled softly at the delicate touch against his scalp._

_"God, you're perfect." Klaus said as his eyes bounced between each of Dave's perfect pools of blue._

_"Not as perfect as you, darlin." Klaus's smile twitched into something of uncertainty before he closed his eyes and nuzzled himself deeper into Dave's palm. He laid his hand over Dave's and just absorbed this feeling while Dave continued to speak. "I love you, Klaus."_

_"I love you." A single tear rolled over Klaus's cheekbone and Dave wiped it away, his eyebrows furrowing with instant concern._

_"What's wrong, are you okay?" He asked with a worried tone as he inched himself closer to Klaus._

_"It's just—I've never felt like this before. No one—no one has ever treated me like this. No one has ever told me that they loved me, because I've never been loved. My own family doesn't even love me. I just—" he paused to rest his head against Dave's shoulder, and Dave wrapped his arm around him, hugging him close. Klaus closed his eyes and sniffled before he finally admitted the truth. "I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and that this will have all just been a dream. Like, you couldn't possibly be real, because I don't deserve you, Dave. I don't deserve such kindness, compassion or such love. I just—I just don't."_

_"That's not true, darlin," Dave pulled Klaus into his arms and tilted his chin so that he had to look into his eyes. "You deserve the world. It breaks my heart that it's taken you this long to be treated the way you've always deserved. You are amazing, Klaus. Everything about you is so wonderful, you are truly the most extraordinary person I've ever been lucky enough to meet." Klaus snorted at the term 'extraordinary', if only Dave knew how far from that he truly was._

_"I'm not a dream, or some figment of your imagination, Klaus." Dave pulled Klaus's hands into his own and gave them a tight, grounding squeeze, "Do you feel that? I'm real. What we share is real. I love you, I love every ounce of you, every quirk, every raunchy and questionable remark," they both laughed as he spoke, "everything. I love you, Klaus. And I can't wait to get out of this place and spend the rest of my life with you."_

_"You really mean that, Dave? You're not going to grow tired of me once you have an entire planet of men to choose from?"_

_"I have an entire universe to choose from as it is, baby, and I choose you. I'd choose you every time—here in Vietnam, or America, or fucking Mars. I don't care, I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Klaus's tears freely fell at Dave's words._

_"I want that too, baby." Klaus said as he stifled his tears. Dave smiled before kissing Klaus's forehead, then the tip of his nose. Klaus giggled softly before Dave kissed his cheek, and finally his lips. He pulled away, cupping his cheeks in his palm._

_"I love you." Dave said as he plucked a wildflower from the earth. He tucked Klaus's curls behind his ear and planted the flower there with it. Dave smiled at the sight of his love while Klaus giggled before wiggling his eyebrows._

_"Do I look pretty?" Klaus asked in an exaggerated feminine tone as he twisted a curl around his finger. Dave laughed and gently gripped his chin with his thumb and forefinger before snagging his pout for another gentle kiss._

_"You're beautiful." Klaus smiled genuinely before curling himself up in Dave's arms. He kissed his cheek before resting his head against his shoulder. Dave held him there and the couple just laid within each other's arms, absorbing the other's presence as they basked in their love._

_"I'll do it, you know." Klaus whispered as he nuzzled himself closer against the warmth of Dave's neck._

_"Hmm," Dave began as he ran his palm up and down his boyfriend's bare arm. "You'll do what, darlin?"_

_"I'll quit taking drugs. I know how much you dislike it, and I'm sorry I've fought you for so long over it—"_

_"You don't have to apologize, baby, I understand—"_

_"I'll quit. Right now, I'm done. I don't want them anymore. I don't need drugs to protect me...because I have you." Dave smiled proudly at his love's statement. He was so happy to hear this news. So overjoyed that he didn't have to watch Klaus slowly kill himself by poisoning his body, and that he felt safe to give up his security blanket of drugs because of him._

_"I'll always keep you safe. I love you, Klaus."_

_"I know," Klaus began as he tilted his head to peer at Dave. "I know you will, and I love you, too. More than you'll ever know." The two men exchanged a kiss, knowing that from this moment forward it would be the two of them against the world. Dave knew that he loved this man, and that he would give his own life to protect him and always keep him safe._

The doctor entered into the small room and approached Dave, laying a hand over his shoulder as he glanced around the room at all of Klaus's devastated siblings, before his eyes finally landed on Klaus. Dr. Thomas frowned as his own eyes filled with tears. He truly wished there had been more he could have done for this family, and for Klaus who he had come to grow particularly fond of.

"I am so sorry for your loss—"

"No! He's not..he's not gone...I'm not...I'm not leaving him. Not yet! I can't, I can't leave him here alone...he needs me..." Dave cried as he ran his thumb over Klaus's cheek, his tears streaming down his own.

"Please, take all of the time that you need." began as he addressed the family in mourning, "I'll be right outside in the hall if you need anything. I truly am sorry for your loss." No one could answer him through their tears so he simply nodded before leaving the family alone with Klaus.

Dave laid down on the hospital bed and Pulled Klaus's limp form into his arms while he cried against his love's shoulder. He wasn't ready to let him go, he wasn't ready to say goodbye.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I'm so sorry, I hope you know how much I love you."

—-

When Klaus opened his eyes he was greeted by an unfamiliar world full of monochromatic tones. It was black, and white, and beautiful. He rose to his feet and stretched his arms above his head. No longer was he frail, or weak. He was strong, and healthy and...alone.

He allowed his eyes to wonder to absorb his surroundings as he traversed the trail he found himself on. There was a forest of trees flanking him to either side, and a small cabin off in the distance.

"Where the hell am I?" He asked himself as he stopped at a crossroad.

"Hell is far from it, actually."

Klaus turned when he heard the unfamiliar voice and was surprised to be met by a little girl on a bicycle. He quirked his eyebrows up and tilted his head as he sauntered closer to the young lady.

"Um, hello, who are you?" he asked before shaking his head with a soft laugh and leaning forward, resting his hands on his knees. "Oh wait, I'm unfamiliar with the whole 'kid thing', should I not ask that? Where is your mommy or daddy little girl?" Klaus squinted his eyes to look beyond the girl but she just scoffed, rolling her eyes as she folded her arms across her tiny waist.

"I have no 'mommy or daddy', Klaus," she began and Klaus furrowed his eyebrows as he looked back at the little girl again.

"Hey, wait, how did you know my name—"

"Haven't you figured it out yet?" Klaus's face screwed up as he pondered her questions. She let out an irritated huff before continuing. "Okay, let me make this simple for you. You're dead, Klaus."

"What?" He asked as he stood up straight, his eyes widening in realization. "No—No, I can't be—that can't be right, I'm not ready, I—"

"I'm afraid it's true. You died, Klaus. You passed away, you lost your battle with cancer." Klaus's lips quivered at her words. It couldn't be true, he didn't want to die, his life was finally shaping up, he and Dave were finally going to be happy—

"Please, send me back—" Klaus begged.

"It was your time to go—"

"No! You don't understand, I wasn't ready—" he continued to plead, but the girl only laughed.

"I think it is you who doesn't understand, Klaus. Do you really think anyone is ever truly ready to die? The answer is no. It was your time to go."

"Please," Klaus begged, his tears streaking his cheeks, "I can't leave them. We were finally going to be happy! I finally had my family, and Dave—"

"Dave, I nearly forgot about him..." Klaus looked at the girl with confusion clearly evident against his features. What was she talking about? "You know, I may not like you very much, but I'll give you credit for one thing. You did manage to save Dave."

"What do you mean?" He asked as he went closer to the little girl.

"Had you not stopped taking drugs in Vietnam, Dave would have been killed on the front lines. Your sobriety saved his life, Klaus. And in return, he tried to save yours."

"Wait, what do you mean? Dave would have—" Klaus needed to sit down. He couldn't believe what this little girl was saying could be true. Dave would have died had he not given up taking drugs?

"Yes. He would have died, so I'll give you credit for that. Dave was always one of my favorites, he always had a good, kind soul." Klaus nodded as a soft smile played across his lips.

"Yeah, yeah he was—is. Dave is a really remarkable person. I was so lucky that I had him in my life for as long as I did. I'm—I'm really going to miss him." Klaus sniffled as he began to cry again. He missed Dave so terribly, he didn't ever want to say goodbye to his love. He'd waited his entire life to find someone like Dave, and when he finally had him, and they were finally going to be truly happy…

_He had to go and die…_

"Dave loved you, you know." Klaus wiped at his tears as he glanced at the girl. "He loved you more than anyone, more than himself, his family. He—"

_'No baby, Please! Come back, baby! Please! Don't leave me, you can't! I love you, Klaus please!'_

"Dave?" The little girl and Klaus asked in unison as Klaus rose to his feet.

_'Please, God, give him back to me! I can't lose you, baby! Please, please come back!'_

"Dave!" Klaus cried, "Baby! I'm here!" he turned to the little girl. "What's happening? Why can I hear him?"

"This has never happened before," she began as she looked at Klaus with wide eyes. "His love for you is so strong his cries are piercing through the veil in an attempt to pull you back."

"Can-can he do that?"

"If a loved one needs someone; not just wants them, but truly still needs them then, yes, I suppose it could be possible—"

_'Please, please, god - please, I'm begging you, give him back. Please, I can't—I can't lose you, baby, please. Please come back, I love you!'_

"Dave, I hear you baby! I love you, I'm here! I'm right here!" Klaus cried before crumpling to his knees as he allowed himself to sob. "God, I love him so much...I can't...I can't say goodbye.."

The little girl watched as Klaus broke down, allowing his emotional wall he'd built up to crumble and reveal the true emotions he'd been feeling. She saw how scared he was to lose his love, saw how he truly was not ready so say goodbye...

_'We—we—we were supposed to be happy! You made me happy, baby! Please, please come back to me! I love you!'_

And clearly, neither was Dave…

She stood up, kicking out the kickstand on her bike before she walked over to Klaus. Her small hand laid against his shoulder as it shook from his sobs. He startled from the unexpected touch, his tear filled eyes meeting the little girl's cool expression. There was a moment of silence that passed between the two, and then her lips tugged into a warm grin.

"It appears that I was wrong," she began. "It is _not_ your time yet, Klaus."

"What?" He asked as he quickly scrambled to his feet.

"It's not going to be easy for you. You are going to have a long road to recovery before you," she began as she listened to the wailing of his siblings joining in alongside Dave's desperate pleas. "But I have a feeling that you'll have plenty of people who love you who will make sure that you will be just fine."

"Wait—" Klaus began, his eyes widening as he inhaled a sharp breath. "Are you—"

"You can't stay here. Goodbye, Klaus. They're not ready to say goodbye yet—your family and Dave still need you." Klaus's lips wobbled before tugging into a grin.

"T-Thank you." Klaus pulled the little girl into a hug that she did not return, but she did pull away and pat his shoulder with a warm smile.

"I guess you're not so bad of a guy after all, Klaus. You must be pretty special for them to need you so desperately." He laughed at her words. "Good luck, Klaus." He smiled and nodded at her before his world began to shift and morph as he felt himself be pulled somewhere new and suddenly all that he saw was white and blue…

—-

Dave rocked Klaus in his arms as he continued to cry. He was no longer begging to an unknown force to return his love to him, he knew now that his love's fight was over and that he was really gone. He could no longer see through his tears that showed no sign of stopping as he ran his fingers through Klaus's curls and peppered his skin with heartbroken kiss after kiss. Dave still couldn't believe that Klaus was gone. He didn't want to believe that once he let his husband go that this would be it. Klaus was gone, and he would never see him again, or hold him in his arms. Dave couldn't live with the fact that he was never going to see his love smile again, or hear his laugh...

Dave held Klaus tighter, his body had already grown cold, and stiff and was nothing like the man that he loved so. Dave already missed him—he missed his vibrant spirit, and the warmth of his beautifully kind soul.

"I'm so sorry, darlin. I love you...I love you so much. I love you, Klaus—"

A sudden and unexpected sharp inhale and a long cold hand tightening against his own caused Dave to nearly fall off of the hospital bed in surprise. His heart hammered wildly within his chest as he pulled away from Klaus before he was able to wrap his mind around what just happened. That came from—that was—

"Klaus?"

Klaus's eyes fluttered open and he squinted against the harsh white fluorescent lights above him before his eyes finally focused on Dave's beautiful blue irises.

"Dave..." Klaus whispered, his voice was soft and weak after returning from the realm of the dead. "Hi baby."

Dave couldn't even form words, his lips quivered before pulling into a smile as he cupped his palm to Klaus's cheek. It was warm, this was real, he was _alive_...

"Oh my god, darlin you're—you're—"

"I'm alive, baby." Klaus exhaled a soft laugh. "Turns out, it will take a lot more than cancer for you to get rid of me." Dave laughed before he pressed his lips to Klaus's. Everyone in the room circled around the bed just as Dave pulled away. He kept Klaus's cheeks cupped within his palms and Klaus wrapped his hands around Dave's wrists.

"Oh my god, Klaus you're—"

"I'm back from the dead, bitches." Klaus tried to joke but he was still rather weak. He continued to smile as he looked at each person surrounding him in his hospital room. "The little girl in the afterlife sent me back for all of you. She said that you guys all still needed me. Is that...is that true?"

"Of course it is, Klaus." Allison said through her happy tears. "You're our baby brother. We love you."

"I'm going to get the doctor." Five said with wide eyes as he quickly blinked out of the room. They all were in shock that Klaus was here, that he was talking. That he was breathing and alive.

"I love you all." Klaus's eyelashes fluttered and he exhaled a soft groan.

"Are you okay?" Dave asked frantically, he'd just gotten Klaus back, he was terrified to lose him again. Klaus smiled as he nodded, tightening his grip on Dave's hand.

"Yeah. I am, actually. I'm tired, and a little stiff but...I feel better, baby. I feel good." Dave's smile widened as he exhaled a soft laugh before kissing Klaus's forehead, his cheek, and his nose before their gazes met and they exchanged a warm loving grin. Dave pressed his lips against Klaus's again. He smiled into the warm sensation of Klaus's lips against his own.

The door swung open and Klaus's doctor looked shocked and amazed.

"I don't believe it, with how long you were—this should be impossible. We need to run some tests, okay?"

They ran many tests that day, repeated all of Klaus's previous labs and when the doctor finally returned to Klaus's room he wore a wide smile on his face.

"It's a medical miracle," he began before he flipped through the pages of Klaus's chart for the hundredth time that day. "I don't know how to explain it, but—you're healthy. The cancer cells have shrunk, and appear to be going away. You're—you're in remission, Klaus."

Klaus smiled wide as his laughter filled the air, he had tears of joy falling down his cheeks. Suddenly there were arms around him from all directions as each of his siblings threw themselves at him, enveloping him into a hug. This truly was a miracle, one that each of them could not be any more grateful for. Klaus was getting a second chance at life. He was going to get to live his life to the fullest, with his family and the love of his life by his side.

—-

It took some time for Klaus's body to heal from all of its trauma; having cancer and dying before springing back to life wasn't exactly easy, but in time it was all worth it. Dave and Klaus's family never left his side, they were there to guide him and help nurse him back to health. Ben never stopped smiling the second after Klaus's eyes burst open on that hospital bed, and after Klaus regained his strength they were able to work on shaping his powers. Klaus finally learned how to make his brother corporeal, and Ben was never unseen to his family ever again.

It was a beautiful day on the farm, the sun was just beginning to kiss the tops of the trees as it began its descent from the horizon to tell the world Goodnight. It's brilliant orange and pink hues looked like an oil painting as it danced across their private lake. Klaus smiled as he stared lovingly into Dave's eyes. The couple were holding one another's hands as Allison stood before them, and the rest of their family stood behind them with their own smiles across their blissfully happy features.

"Dave and Klaus, with the power vested in me I am happy to re-pronounce you two bonded together for all of eternity. You may now kiss the love of your life." Klaus eagerly pressed his lips against Dave's, his husband as they renewed their vows. Dave wrapped his arms around Klaus, pulling him against his chest as he spun him around. Klaus laughed until his feet were firmly planted on the ground again and he kissed Dave again, and again, and again.

This was everything he could have ever dreamed and more. Klaus was happy; he had his family, his perfect home that he and Dave constantly added their own personal touches to every day. Their home that they filled with so much _love_. He had his dream farm, with his dream man, and he had his family. Klaus's heart was beating within his chest—he was alive, and he was _well_. He finally had everything he'd ever dreamed of, and so much more.

"Ouch!" Five wailed, earning everyone's attention. All eyes landed on him. "Your pony bit me, Klaus!"

Klaus and Dave both laughed as Dave gently nudged his husband's shoulder.

"I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so!"

Klaus just shrugged his shoulders and his giggled filled the air. "But it's so cute!"

"Not as cute as you." Klaus smiled broadly as he threw his arms around his husband.

"I love you, Dave."

"I love you, too."

The couple pulled each other into another passion filled kiss. They finally had each other and they were overjoyed that they would never have to be apart again. They finally got their happily ever after.

—-

**Authors Note:** _THE END! ;)_

_That's it you guys, this story is over! I hope it did not disappoint! I humbly ask that if you followed along to this story at all that you **PLEASE leave a comment and let me know your thoughts on this since this was the FINAL CHAPTER!** With everything going on in the world right now, we could all use a little positivity and I would really love to hear from you!  
_

_I can't believe this is over! I have worked on this for several months and it is surreal to say goodbye! I am glad it ended on a happy note and that Klaus got what he always deserved, his happily ever after with his love and his family by his side! _

_I hope that you all are doing well, and staying safe! Thank you again to anyone and everyone who read along and followed this journey from start to finish, I appreciate you and hope that you enjoyed the end! :)_


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